


Missing Pieces

by sunshineoptimismandangels



Series: Missing Pieces Verse [1]
Category: Glee
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff, M/M, Romance, Science Fiction, android!blaine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-22
Updated: 2015-05-18
Packaged: 2018-03-14 14:57:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 22
Words: 77,614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3414971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunshineoptimismandangels/pseuds/sunshineoptimismandangels
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Even after living in New York City for three years Kurt Hummel still hasn't found love. He thought that the city of his dreams would make all of his dreams come true, but maybe he just isn't made for romance. That is until Kurt is home for the summer, helping his father run his growing Android Repair shop and getting to know hid dad's latest acquisition, a handsome and sweet android with curly hair, and a kind smile and a love for musicals. Maybe Kurt will discover that love isn't what he always thought it was.</p><p>Cover Art By: H T Elia<br/>Additional Art By: rocketssurgery<br/>Beta: lilyvandersteen</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Coming Home

**Author's Note:**

> Okay this is just a little idea that's been bouncing around in my head and getting bigger and bigger so I decided to finally put it down in words. Let me know what you think and if you are interested in reading more. Thanks!

Kurt couldn't help the small smile that tugged at his lips as he watched the houses race past his window. His dad was talking about dinner plans and how Carole would get off of work in time for them all to go out to eat somewhere nice, but Kurt was mostly enjoying watching the neighborhoods of Lima pass by.

He had been so ready to get away from this place when he'd graduated High School, moving off to New York without looking behind. Now his third year of NYADA was over, one left to go, and he was glad to be back in Ohio. New York was wonderful, he loved it there, it felt like home. Almost.

Even with how hard growing up here was sometimes, Lima was really his home. It was where his dad and Carole lived, it was where he found his love for singing, and it was where he made some of the best friends of his life. Sitting in a small choir room and all of them being ridiculously melodramatic and forming friendships Kurt hoped would last a lifetime. Most of his friends had moved away too, but some of them would be home for summer break just like he was, he planned on catching up.

"I thought we'd go up 75 for dinner, actually go to a nice restaurant."

Kurt turned from looking through the window to give his dad his full attention. "Oh um… actually…"

Burt glanced at him for a moment before turning back to the road.

"I was hoping to go to Breadsticks?"

"Breadsticks?" Burt chuckled. "After all the amazing food they have in New York you want to go to _Breadsticks_?"

"It's just… I guess I'm feeling a little nostalgic. And Breadsticks does have amazing cheesecake. Even by New York standards."

Burt grinned. "You can take the kid out of Lima…"

Kurt laughed. "I'm just really glad to be home, Dad."

Burt reached over to squeeze Kurt's shoulder. "I'm real glad to have you back."

Kurt had visited home since moving to New York. He'd spent two of the three Christmases here while Carole and Burt had come to New York for the third, and he always came home for a short time in the summer, but this year he was spending his entire summer break here. This was the first time coming home had felt like such a huge relief.

He and Rachel had been sharing an apartment, but when Rachel dropped out of NYADA at the beginning of this school year to star on Broadway they started to grow apart. Eventually they both got their own places. He still loved Rachel and they saw each other as much as they could with their busy schedules, but it wasn't the same.

Kurt had made friends at school, and at the little diner he worked at, but no real strong bonds with anyone. He wondered sometimes if he'd ever have friends again the way he did in high school.

He was lonely. He could admit it to himself. Plus, he had always thought that as soon as he moved somewhere more progressive than Lima he'd meet _someone_. Kurt had dated, sure, he'd really come into his own the past few years in an unexpected, yet pleasant way. He knew he was attractive and he'd caught the eye of more than one guy. He'd gone on plenty of dates, and at first it was exciting and freeing, but then Kurt realized he didn't want to just date around, he wanted to find someone special, someone to share his life with.

He dated a really sweet guy named Adam his second year, but it wasn't quite right. No one seemed to fit the way Kurt thought a relationship would. Maybe he was just bad at romance. Regardless, three years after moving to the Big Apple and Kurt was as single as ever.

Burt pulled into the driveway and Kurt felt a rush of homesickness wash over him. He had missed this house. He needed to come home more often. Burt helped Kurt lug his things upstairs - he had never been a light packer - and made sure Kurt was settled in.

"I think I'm going to take a shower before dinner," Kurt said, looking around his old room.

"Okay bud, I'll be in the workshop if you need me."

Burt's repair business had really taken off in the last few years. He had always been good with his hands, he loved working on androids and was a natural at it, but there hadn't always been a lot of work. Androids had started off as very expensive and something only the elite could afford, but as they became more common and reasonably priced, Burt's business really took off. He was one of the only skilled android specialists in the area.

"Oh… What are you working on now?" Kurt asked. He used to help out in his dad's shop and while it hadn't been his calling he'd always been fascinated by the work. "Do you have any of the Motta's androids in the shop?"

The Motta's were one of the richest families around and exclusively brought their droids to Burt for repairs. They were always the best, top of the line machines and Kurt found them fascinating.

"No." Burt said with a shake of his head, but the way his eyes sparkled showed that he had something good. "No Motta droids right now."

"What is it dad? What do you have?"

"Wanna come see?" He asked with a huge grin.

Kurt decided he could help out in the shop for a while and still have time later to get ready for dinner. "You know I do."

Burt's shop was right next door to their house. It was big and open and one of Kurt's favorite places in the world. Growing up, other kids had always thought the shop was creepy, and Kurt could understand that, with arms and legs and sometimes an android head or two laying around it did give off a "house of horrors" vibe. But when you saw it all as complicated and remarkable technology it wasn't as creepy, it was just cool.

The shop had changed very little since Kurt was young. The seemingly messy, but actually painstakingly organized store room to the right, the actually messy office in the rear, the long rows of metal tables that looked almost medical where an android could be laid out, the walls covered in tools and spare parts, jars of mechanical eyes, and bolts, and one with an assortment of metal fingers. It smelled like oil and steam and Kurt closed his eyes for a moment to drink it all in because it smelled like his childhood.

"Pull on some coveralls." Burt said, breaking Kurt out of his reverie. "Wouldn't want your fancy clothes to get messed up."

"I'm wearing jeans and a sweater."

"Oh, and those jeans and sweater aren't expensive? You're fine with getting oil on them?"

"Extra coveralls still kept in your office?" Kurt replied quickly and Burt smiled and nodded.

Kurt pulled on the blue/gray coveralls with "Hummel Android Repair" stitched in red letters on the breast pocket. It reminded him of the countless hours he'd spent helping his dad in the shop, talking about machinery and school and glee club and anything else that came up. Some of the most important conversations of his life happened wearing coveralls, he'd come out to his dad wearing coveralls. Kurt smiled and went back to the main room, Burt was standing near a table covered with a blanket.

"What's under there?" Kurt asked excitedly.

"Well," Burt said, rubbing his hands together, a proud smile on his face. "I was at The Heap the other day looking for parts and I found… something really interesting."

The Heap was a junkyard specifically for abandoned androids and android parts. Sometimes a droid was just too far gone to fix, or the owner had upgraded to a better new droid or a better part. What wasn't wanted ended up at The Heap.  
Burt spent a lot of time there rummaging through piles of useless pieces. He had a knack for finding things of value though, things thrown away without knowing their worth. Then he'd haggle with Sal, the owner of The Heap, and end up with expensive parts at a fraction of the cost.

Whatever was under this blanket though was much more than just a part.

"Something interesting?" Kurt said, bouncing on his toes a little. He could tell by the look on his dad's face this was going to be good.

"You know sometimes people throw away whole androids? But most of the time for good reason and maybe I'll scavenge a part or two off of it, but the droid is basically useless? Well, not this time." Burt said, clicking his tongue. "Someone made a big mistake getting rid of this."

Burt quickly pulled the blanket off and Kurt looked down at what was on the table and froze for a moment. "Holy crap."

Burt laughed. "That's what I said when I found him."

Kurt's mouth hung open while he looked over the droid lying on the table. It was the highest quality android he'd ever seen.

It looked real.

Smooth human-looking skin, it even had arm hair. The coloring was just right too: sometimes android skin came off a little yellow or green, but this looked warm and alive. The droid had pink lips and dark curly hair. It was wearing a standard pair of gray pants that looked like scrubs and a white t-shirt and as Kurt leaned forward he thought he saw the chest rising and falling like it was breathing.

The only thing that immediately let you know you were looking at a machine and not a person was that it was missing an eye. One eye was closed and the other one open, but it was just an empty socket and Kurt could see the machinery inside and a little red light flashing on and off.

"Whoa…" Kurt said and then looked up at his dad. "Is this… a Smythe Android?"

"Yes, it is."

"Oh my god."

_ Smythe Industries _ made the world’s best and most exclusive androids. They were so life-like that some conservatives called them "Abominations that mocked the the work of our creator". The Smythes had loved that and used it as a marketing tool: "And on the 8th day God created the Smythe Machine". If you met a Smythe android walking down the street you wouldn't even know it, you'd just think it was a human. The Smythes only sold 100 androids a year, each of them unique. Not even the Motta's owned one.

"But how?" Kurt said, not able to tear his eyes away from the andriod. "How does a Smythe droid end up at The Heap? And how the hell did you convince Sal to sell it to you?"

"She was happy to get rid of him actually. I mean… He cost me a bundle, but not close to what he's worth. Sal seemed a little creeped out by him actually." Burt smiled. "That helped with the bargaining process. And I don't know how the droid ended up there. I even filed a report with the police to make sure it wasn't stolen goods. After 30 days no-one had claimed him, so he's mine."

"Doesn't it have a serial number?"

"Yes, but I looked it up and it seems like he was never sold. He's a prototype that didn't make it to market. B821. Tried to find out more about the Smythe B class but there is nothing about them on their site."

"Oh _my_ god," Kurt repeated. "It looks like a person, Dad. I mean… It really looks like you have a human here."

"He's looking a lot better than he did when I first got him. Needed a lot of work. He was missing both eyes. I was able to get a hold of one really good eye for a replacement, an Anderson brand, not a Smythe, but I couldn't afford an actual Smythe mechanical eyeball." Burt shrugged. "Until I can find at least as good as an Anderson eye for the other side he gets to be cyclops boy."

"We should get him an eyepatch. That socket is the only thing I can see keeping him from looking human." Kurt smiled in excitement. "So does he… work? I mean can you turn him on?"

"He is on, just in sleep mode." Burt replied and then messed with something on the back of the droid's neck. The droid opened its one good eye so suddenly that Kurt took a step back in surprise. The droid looked around for a moment and then with a yawn like a real person who just woke up from a nap he sat up on the table.

"Hello Burt." It said and Kurt's stomach dropped, because not only was its voice in no way robotic, it was actually really _nice_. Smooth and sweet-sounding.

"Hey there kid," Burt said.

The droid smiled, and oh, he had a lovely smile, and then turned to Kurt. "Hi." He grinned wider and Kurt couldn't do anything but just blink at him.

Whoever designed this android seemingly did so using blueprints from Kurt's own imagination because he was _classically handsome_. Suddenly awake and moving and talking like a human and Kurt felt a little tongue-tied because _damn it_ , he was hot.

Rosy lips curved in a smile and a slight pinkness to his cheeks and long dark eyelashes, and an unruly mop of dark curly hair. His eyebrows were ridiculously thick, but somehow looked great on him. The only thing that didn't look right was his eye. A dark warm chocolate brown, it was pretty, and the Anderson company made very high-quality android parts, but it somehow didn't quite suit him. Overall though, Kurt was a little overwhelmed.

"Do I scare you?" The droid asked, tilting his head a little, his smile dropping to a frown.

"Dad?" Kurt croaked out, looking back at Burt.

"Yeah, he's a lot to take in at first, the most life-like droid I've ever worked on. Scared the bejeezus out of Steve when we first turned him on last week."

"I don't mean to scare anyone," the droid said softly looking down at his lap, and Kurt's heart ached a little because he sounded so sad and defeated.

"You don't scare me," Kurt said quickly. "You're just… you're just… kind of stunning."

The droid looked up and smiled again, and oh my gosh was it actually blushing?

"Stunning?" He asked.

"What? No. I mean… remarkable, I've never seen an android like you." Kurt cleared his throat, feeling foolish. _I’m getting flustered by a machine_. "I'm Kurt." He held out his hand and the android bit its lip shyly, and that was adorable, and then shook Kurt's hand. And, oh, his skin didn't just look real. It was soft and warm and human feeling.

"It is a pleasure to meet you," the droid said politely. "I apologize for not introducing myself. I am currently without a name."

Kurt looked up at his dad. "You haven't named him?"

"I thought I'd leave that to him."

Kurt looked back at the droid and realized they were still holding hands. Kurt pulled his away quickly, laughing nervously.

"I can't decide on a name," the android said with a shrug. "Nothing we've tried sounds like my name."

"Oh. Well, um…" Kurt ran his hand through his hair nervously. _Cut it out, Kurt, Dad is standing right there! Do you want him to see you swooning over a machine?_ "I could help you come up with something maybe? It would be nice to know what to call you."

The droid smiled so brightly Kurt felt it down to his toes. "I'd like that, Kurt." And Kurt felt a little lost looking at him.

"There you guys are!" Kurt realized he was staring and immediately turned to see Carole coming into the shop. "Of course as soon as you're home you come to play with the toys."

"Carole!" Kurt ran to her to give her a big hug. "I've missed you."

She planted a kiss to his cheek. 'I've missed you too, sweetheart." She smelled like jasmine and hairspray and Kurt was so glad to see her he gave her another hug. "I see you've met our newest friend," she said, grinning.

"It's good to see you, Mrs. Hummel. You look lovely," the droid said, tipping its head, and he was charming. Did someone actually program it to be charming?"

"Nice to see you too, dear." She looked at Burt in his coveralls and baseball cap. "I thought we were going out to dinner?"

"Of course!" Burt said. "We'll get ready quickly."

"Should I go back into sleep mode?" the droid asked, and his face fell a little.

"Yes, thank you," Burt said seemingly not noticing the droid's disappointment.

"I'll come back later," Kurt said quickly, sending him a smile. "We need to work on that name thing."

That earned Kurt a soft smile in return. "I'd like that a lot, Kurt," the droid said before lying down, pressing the right spot on his neck and going back to sleep. Kurt couldn't peel his eyes away until Burt covered him in the blanket again while talking to Carole about the evening's plans. And still Kurt just stood there.

"You really want to go to Breadsticks?" Carole asked.

"Hmm?" Kurt forced himself to turn away from the table and look at Carole.

"We can go anywhere you want."

"Oh yes. I really want to go to Breadsticks."

Carole smiled. "Well, I think that will be a wonderful way to start your summer back home."

"Me too," Kurt answered, walking with them out of the shop. Kurt turned back to glance at the blanket covered table one last time. He had a feeling that his summer had already gotten off to a wonderful start.


	2. Inventory & Ice Cream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm so glad several of you are interested in reading more of this story. I know I should be working on my other fic, but some times getting distracted helps the writing process, right? ;) I hope you like this part, let me know what you think!

Kurt flopped down on his bed, the pile of magazines beside him toppling over. He'd been back in Lima a few days and already things weren't going as planned. None of his old high school friends were in town. Mercedes was going to visit home but not for another couple of weeks, Sam had gotten a summer job out of town and _might_ spend a few weekends home, Puck was stationed who knew where, and everyone else seemed to be staying at school, or in Santana and Brittany's case taking an extended summer cruise.

Kurt was back in Lima and alone. He'd tried calling Rachel just to chat, but she was in rehearsal and couldn't talk long. So he'd spent the last couple hours perusing some old copies of Vogue, but he could only do that for so long and he was starting to get bored out of his mind.

He pulled himself up from bed, put on a pair of boots and went down to the repair shop. It was busy. Burt was talking to a customer up front, Grace and Steve were both working on some android parts and Dan was on the phone making appointments. Then there was _that droid_. Kurt started in surprise when he saw him walking in from the back room with some parts in his hands.

"Is this what you wanted?" he asked, holding one up for Grace's inspection, one brown eye squinting in concentration while the other eye was still empty and blinking.

Grace took the part and nodded, "You're getting better at this."

The droid smiled happily and turned to Steve with the other part. "Here you are." Steve flinched a little when he turned and saw how close the droid was and then took the part before moving away quickly. "Yeah, thanks."

The droid licked his lips nervously, and wow, that was such a human thing to do. It made Kurt feel bad for him, the way Steve's response was obviously bothering him. The droid rubbed his head like it ached, "Um, sorry to startle you."

"Yeah, yeah," Steve replied, not looking up from what he was working on.

The droid looked around the shop a little helplessly until his eyes landed on Kurt and a bright smile covered his face. "Kurt!" he called excitedly, and Kurt realized he'd been staring. He smiled back and moved forward to join the droid and Grace. "Busy today, isn't it?"

"The summer always picks things up you know," Grace said. "Some droid parts just don't function that well in the heat."

Kurt nodded. "A lot of overheated robotics today?"

"You bet."Grace smiled and nudged the droid still standing there smiling at Kurt. "This guy is learning to help out though."

"I am!" The droid said excitedly. "I mean, for a droid I don't know a lot about droid repair, but I'm trying to learn quickly and be useful."

"Well, for a human, I know very little about human repair," Kurt said, and the droid's face lit up. "I used to help out in the shop with my dad all the time growing up. It isn't too hard, you'll learn fast." The droid beamed at him, making Kurt's heart melt a little.

"Grace!" Burt called and waved her over, she walked to the front and had a whispered conversation with Burt before coming back, looking a little embarrassed.

"Um, sorry to ask this, but that customer up front is… well…" She looked at the droid and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear nervously.

The droid's face fell. "Am I scaring them?"

"I think they are just a little… edgy. Maybe you could go work in the back for a little while?"

"Sure." He nodded and smiled, but it looked sad, and he took to rubbing his temple again.

"I'll help!" Kurt said before even thinking about it. "We can organize the new stock. I know dad just got a shipment in."

The droid looked at him in surprise for a moment before smiling shyly. "I'd… I'd like that a lot, Kurt."

Kurt followed him to the back room, feeling foolish. Why was it so important to him to keep this droid smiling? It wasn't as if its feelings were actually hurt, _it didn't have feelings_ , it just… it was just programmed to demonstrate them.

Besides, being around this droid made him feel… funny, nervous. Not in the way that customer or Steve were nervous around him, but the way Kurt felt when he was trying to make conversation with a crush or something. Oh lord no, Kurt couldn't let himself feel like that for a _machine_ , that was too messed up.

"Thanks, Kurt. For helping me," the droid said, opening a box and pulling out the packing list.

"Of course! First you want to check the packing list against our order book," Kurt said, pulling the book down from the shelf near by. "And check the packing list against what is actually in the box." Kurt flipped to the right page and noticed small, neat writing next to previous entries. "Are these your notes?" Kurt asked, looking up.

The droid rubbed his head and nodded.

"Okay, so you don't need me showing you how to do this then," Kurt smiled.

"Burt has me working in the back often. Steve says I am off-putting to the costumers." The droid was rubbing his temple in hard circular motions, and if he kept it up he was going to give himself a bruise… Or actually, no, he probably didn't bruise, but still… It looked uncomfortable.

"What's wrong with your head?" Kurt asked, stepping closer.

The droid took a deep breath and blinked at Kurt with his one good eye. Kurt tried not to look at the other one. "I um… I…. headache. I mean I have a headache." He cleared his throat and looked down at the floor. "It's not a big deal."

"Hey, look at me for a second," Kurt said, and the droid looked up again. Kurt placed his fingers on where the droid had been rubbing. "It hurts right here?"

"Yes," the droid said softly.

Kurt touched the same spot on the other side. "But not right here?"

The droid shook his head, his gaze never leaving Kurt's face.

"Okay, I think I may actually know how to fix that."

The droid raised his dark eyebrows. "Really?"

Kurt nodded towards a nearby table before walking over to it and patting its surface. "Come sit." The droid did as he was told as Kurt rummaged through the shelves until he found a small travel repair kit. He walked up behind the droid, "I'm just going to… open this," Kurt said, pressing on the back of the droid’s neck until a panel slid open with a hiss. Kurt now had access to what was basically the central nervous system of a droid.

This was good, Kurt decided. Looking at the wires and the motherboard and the blinking lights. It was a reminder that no matter how human this droid looked and acted, he was still a machine. Kurt needed that.

Kurt opened the repair kit and pulled out the small tool he needed for this delicate work. He adjusted there and tightened this. The headache was probably from some wires crossing. It wouldn't cause any damage, really, but it would send an uncomfortable pulse to the droid's right temple.

The droid flinched after Kurt tightened something, and Kurt immediately put his hand on his neck to comfort him. "Sorry! Sorry about that."

"It's okay," the droid answered, and Kurt's fingers slid over the smooth warm skin of the droid's neck. And okay, maybe this wasn't good at all because yeah, the panel reminded Kurt he was a machine, but being this close to him was making Kurt's stomach do funny flips and he needed a distraction because the slope of this droid’s shoulders was awfully nice and his back was strong and firm and-

"What about Gregg?" Kurt said suddenly, and the droid started to turn his head in Kurt's direction. "No, don't move."

The droid froze. "Who is Gregg?"

"You, maybe?" Kurt said as he continued working. "What do you think?"

"I don't know. Do you think I seem like a Gregg?"

"Not really," Kurt said with a smile, finishing up and sliding the panel back in place. He walked around the table to face the droid. "How does that feel?" The droid tentatively lifted his hand to his head.

"Better. Great actually. Better than I've felt since I woke up. Thank you."

"You should have told my dad about the headache. He could have fixed it even faster than I did."

"I didn't want to be a bother."

"You're not a bother, Phillip."

"Phillip?"

"I'm trying it on for size."

"Phillip," the droid repeated and scrunched his nose up.

Kurt laughed. "Okay, okay, not Phillip. We'll keep thinking."

Kurt put the tools back in the kit and the droid went back to unpacking the supply order. He was meticulous in his work, making notes, counting everything, putting the supplies where they belonged. Kurt worked alongside him, fascinated by how he moved and how his eyebrows scrunched up in concentration and how his laugh rang out any time Kurt said something he thought was funny. He really was the most remarkable droid Kurt had ever seen.

"What is your favorite thing about New York?" the droid asked as they dug into another box of parts. Kurt had been telling him about NYADA and living in the dorms this year because Rachel got her own place.

Kurt paused for a moment, thinking. "I don't know exactly. I mean, the bagels are _amazing_."

The droid smiled at that.

"But I think it is… the energy there. I mean, it’s called 'the city that never sleeps', but it’s more than that. It just feels so _awake_. It can be hard there, you have to be tough, but somehow there's just this vibe telling you, you can make it." Kurt shrugged. "I don't know, that sounds silly."

The droid placed his hand gently over Kurt's, making him pause in ticking off items from his check list. "That doesn't sound silly. That sounds amazing."

Kurt looked down at their hands, the droid's tan skin against his pale skin and the warmth that radiated between them. They were quiet for a moment before the droid pulled away.

"I want to see New York someday. I'm adding it to my list."

"Your list?" Kurt asked, looking up at the droid's face and not even noticing the blinking eye socket this time.

"Oh I..." The droid’s cheeks grew rosy. "I started a list of things I want to do someday."

"Really?" Kurt asked in surprise. "Could I see it? I mean… If it is private, you don't have to let me, but I…"

"That's alright," the droid said with a smile as he got up from the floor where they'd been sitting. "I'll get it." He walked to a tool desk and opened a drawer pulling out a piece of yellow paper from a legal pad, like the kind Burt kept in the office. He sat back down cross-legged next to Kurt and unfolded the paper.

"Um… This is going to seem… The things on here most people have done, but I haven't really done anything, so…"

"I'm not going to think it’s silly," Kurt said. "And you only have to read the ones you want to share."

The droid smiled and nodded before clearing his throat. "Go to the movies," he read and then looked up. "Grace was telling me about this movie she saw with a spy and there was a scene where he was hanging from a helicopter or something and she made the whole movie sound really exciting." He was smiling so brightly and was so obviously enamored by the idea that Kurt couldn't help but smile too.

The droid looked back down at his list. "Taste ice cream. Read a book. Write a song. Climb a tree." He looked up at Kurt again. "I get to watch the TV in the office sometimes and there was a commercial with a bunch of kids climbing trees and it just looked fun."

"Go back," Kurt said, leaning forward. "What came before 'climb a tree'?"

"Oh. Write a song?" The droid tilted his head like he was thinking. "I love music. When they have the radio on in the workroom,it always makes me smile, and I think I might be able to do that, you know... Write a song? I just haven't done anything, so I have nothing to write about."

Kurt nodded and swallowed, a hard lump in his throat. What kind of droid was this? Never in his life had Kurt heard of a droid who wanted things. Outside of doing their job or being useful at least.

He wanted regular things, human things. Things that brought people joy and amusement, and made people _feel_. How could an android want that? How could he even understand those concepts? And how could he look so beautiful and endearing while talking about climbing trees and writing songs?

"I probably couldn't write one anyway," the droid said nervously, obviously misinterpreting Kurt’s silence.

"I don't know," Kurt replied. "I've never heard of a droid doing any of those things."

The droid's face fell.

"But I've never heard of a droid wanting to. So I think you should try as many things on your list as you can." Kurt stood and reached down to help the droid to his feet. He clasped Kurt's hand and didn't let go immediately once he was standing. Kurt found himself staring again, at his smiling lips and sweet expression and his one eye shining with delight.

Kurt moved his hand and his thumb brushed across the raised surface of the droid's serial number, Kurt looked down. "B821," he read, and then looked up at the droid again. "What if I just called you B until we found something else?”

"B? B… _B_." The droid rolled the word around on his tongue. "Actually, yes, I think that works."

Kurt reluctantly let go of his hand. "How about we take a break?" Kurt asked. "I could use some lunch and guess what we have in the freezer at my house?"

"What?" B asked excitedly.

"Mint chocolate chip ice cream. I think you should try some."

B's mouth fell open and his eyebrows shot to his hairline. "You want me to come back to your house with you?"

"Yes," Kurt said, wondering if he'd ever even left the shop since getting here.

"And you want to eat ice cream with me?"

"Of course, you're not eating it by yourself," Kurt smiled and without thinking about it grabbed B's hand. "Come on, we'll turn on the radio and everything, okay?"

B glanced at their clasped hands as Kurt pulled them out of the workshop. "Okay," he said a little breathlessly, and Kurt's heart thudded happily in his chest.


	3. Bowties & Patches

Kurt had spent the last week helping his dad in the shop and spending the evening with him and Carole, or up in his room reading or watching too much Netflix. He was settling into a rhythm, and even though his summer was turning out to be less full of friends and fun than he expected, Kurt wasn't complaining.

Every morning he'd wake up and lie in bed for a moment as a smile spread across his face, because that day would be another day he got to spend with B.

B was becoming more and more confident in the workshop. He had started answering phones and making appointments, cleaning up for the technicians, and of course helping in the back room. Customers were still sometimes wary of him, and he had to be sent out of sight now and again so as not to scare people away. It made Kurt angry every time. B was harmless. More than that, he was sweet and funny and eager to please.

He could do this impression of Grace that spot on but not mean. He was always careful around Steve, who was still nervous about him. Kurt would sometimes walk in on him swaying his hips and listening to music while working in the back, and when he had tasted ice cream for the first time he'd just closed his eyes and let out an adorable humming noise. How could anyone be afraid of him?

It was the eye, Kurt decided, lying in bed and staring up at the ceiling. If he just didn't have a mechanical empty eye-socket in his face, people wouldn't even know he was a machine. Kurt could get him an eye-patch. Actually, he could make some, and then B could have eye-patches in different colors and fabrics to match with outfits. Except... B only wore the dark gray pants and white t-shirt all the droids being repaired in Burt's shop wore.

Kurt smiled brightly and sat up in bed, an idea forming in his head. He got ready for the day quickly, showering and doing his moisturizing routine and fixing his hair before pulling on an outfit that he felt extenuated the right parts of him. He wouldn't admit it to anyone - he barely admitted it to himself - but he found that he often dressed with B in mind, hoping the android would appreciate how he looked.

Kurt brought his idea up to his dad over breakfast. "Do you think you'll be really busy at the shop today? I was hoping to do some shopping."

"Kurt, it’s your summer break. You don't have to work in the shop at all if you don't want to."

"I know," Kurt said, playing with the food on his plate. "But I like it there, I always have, and it gives me something to do. I was just thinking, if you can spare us…" Kurt looked at his dad hopefully. "Maybe I could take B to get some clothes today?"

Burt lifted an eyebrow and finished chewing his bite before answering. "Why does he need clothes? He has clothes."

"Yeah… but they're androids’ clothes."

"He's an android."

Kurt let out a frustrated breath. "Okay, sure, but people are scared of him sometimes because he looks too human, but also like a machine and I thought if I got him a patch for his eye and some regular clothes, then he would just look like an employee or something." Kurt chewed on his lip and watched his dad's expression as he thought it over.

Burt leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. "You like him, don't you?"

Kurt's eyes widened. "I… I…"

"I like him too," Burt finished.

"He is a very well-mannered droid," Carole added.

"Oh." Kurt cleared his throat. "Yes. Of course. I mean, he’s likeable."

"I was thinking of selling him. He'd fetch a high price," Burt said, thinking out loud.

"What?" Kurt's voice came out small, his heart beating heavily in his chest.

"But if I can train him to work in the shop even more, and if customers aren't afraid of him… well, I could just keep him as an employee. I was thinking I needed to hire someone else anyway, and keeping him on would save money. He could do a great job."

"Yes!" Kurt said quickly. "That's a great idea! Besides, I think he likes it here."

"Well, I guess you should take him shopping then."

Kurt smiled in relief. "Thank you!"

After helping clean up breakfast, Kurt rushed to the shop and to the back room where B spent his nights now. B was lying on a table, and Kurt smiled looking down at his sleeping form. Kurt had fixed it so that he shut his empty eye when he was in sleep mode now, and he looked so sweet and peaceful and human. Kurt pressed against his neck and B blinked his eyes open and then smiled when he saw Kurt.

He sat up and scooted on the table until his legs were hanging off and swinging a little. "Good morning, Kurt," he said, his smile bright and his voice a little sleepy.

"Good morning, B," Kurt said, unable to keep the excitement out of his voice. "I have a surprise for you."

"Chocolate?" B asked eagerly, sitting up straighter. Ever since he'd tried ice cream, Kurt had been bringing him little treats now and then. Jelly beans and orange slices, which he had liked. Coffee, which he hadn't liked at all. A candy bar, which had made B a little obsessed with chocolate.

Droids didn't need to eat and in fact most of them couldn't, but a top of the line android like B could eat small amounts of food and convert the food into energy. He also seemed to have a sense of taste. Why anyone would spend the time programming an android to taste things was beyond Kurt, but he was adorably excited anytime he got to try something new, and Kurt loved that.

"No, not that kind of surprise," Kurt said with a smile. "We get to go shopping today."

B's smile morphed into a look of utter surprise, his bushy brows raised and his mouth open. "Shopping? You mean _together_? Outside of the workshop?"

"Only if you want to."

B quickly hopped down from the table. "I want to! I've only ever been in the shop and your house. I want to go!"

Kurt laughed at his excitement and then watched as he rushed to pull on the old pair of tennis shoes he wore. Most droids didn't wear shoes, but apparently B had asked if he could and these were an old pair of Dan's that fit him. Kurt was going to be able to get him something better now, and he couldn't wait.

"You have been out of the shop though," Kurt said. "I mean, you weren't always with us."

"I know," B replied, "but here is all I remember."

They'd discussed this before. Kurt was curious to know where B had come from. Who had owned him previously? How had he ended up in The Heap? But B didn't remember anything before he woke up to Burt working on him in the shop.

"What are you shopping for?" B asked as he followed Kurt out to the car.

"Clothes," Kurt said, turning his head to smile at him.

"You have clothes," B said, walking past him and opening the driver's door for him. "All of your clothes are gorgeous."

Kurt stopped in surprise, not only at the compliment but at the fact that B had just opened the car door for him. He smiled and blushed a little before getting into the car. "Thank you."

B hurried around to the other side and slid in, putting on his seatbelt as Kurt started the car.

"The clothes aren't for me, though," Kurt said as they pulled out. "They're for you."

Kurt grinned as B stared at him. "I don't understand."

"Would you like something besides the droid clothes you've been wearing?"

"I… Kurt… Is it really okay? Can I get some clothes?"

"Yes," Kurt said, glancing at him while still keeping an eye on the road.

B's eyes shone as a huge grin spread over his face. "Thank you, Kurt. Thank you so much."

Kurt had to force himself to look where he was driving. B wasn't crying exactly, but he looked like he could, and never had Kurt seen a droid show that kind of emotion. He knew Smythe androids were special and expertly crafted, and maybe they were all like this, but this was… B was just so human.

Kurt cleared his throat. "You don't have to thank me. This is going to be fun."

They arrived at the mall and B was a ball of excited energy, looking at everything and pointing and asking questions. Kurt reached out and grabbed his hand, thinking he needed to anchor him a little bit or he'd lose him in the mall. Kurt wanted to bring him to the expensive stores, but even though Burt had given Kurt a company credit card to use, saying it was a work expense anyway, he still didn't want to go overboard spending money. He was grateful his dad was letting him do this for a droid to begin with.

“The first thing you need are some nice jeans," Kurt said when they got to the first store; he looked B up and down and grabbed a couple of different sizes. “And a few shirts, a jacket or two.” He walked around the store, grabbing different items, holding things up to B and moving on. B followed him like a puppy. Loving everything that Kurt picked up.

"What about this?" Kurt said, holding a skull and crossbones patterned scarf. "You need accessories too."

"What would I do with that?"

"Tie it around your neck. Do you like it?"

"Of course," B smiled happily.

Kurt looked down at the pile of clothes he was carrying and the pile B was carrying. Kurt had picked it all out, and it was all very fashionable and looked like things Kurt would wear himself. Kurt wanted to test something out though. "You know you don't have to like something just because I suggest it."

"But you look amazing in everything you wear," B answered with a little color blooming on his cheeks. "I trust you."

"But if you could pick something out for yourself, what would you pick?"

B looked around the store and shrugged. "I don't know."

Kurt was a little disappointed; B seemed to have opinions on all kinds of things when most droids wouldn't, and Kurt really enjoyed that about B. "That's okay," Kurt said. "These will look good on you. I guess we should start trying them on."

B nodded, but hesitated.

"What is it?"

"We did pass one thing I think I might like."

Kurt smiled. "Show me."

B maneuvered through the accessory stands until they got to a table with a display of bowties. A few rows of them, all in different colors and patterns. "If it’s okay to get something just as an accessory, what about one of these?"

Kurt looked down at the ties and then back at B. "I love that idea."

"Really?" B grinned.

"Listen, you pick a few out, okay? And let me have those." Kurt nodded to the clothes in B's hand. "We're starting over."

Half an hour later, B was walking out of a dressing room with his first outfit on. A pair of light gray slacks, a white and green plaid shirt, a short-sleeved button-up that fit him perfectly and showed off his broad shoulders, and a green bowtie with matching suspenders. His hands were in his pockets as he bounced up and down on his toes wearing a pair of oxfords. "What do you think?" he asked shyly.

"Wow, B." Kurt said, looking him up and down. "You look..." _Hot,_ Kurt's mind supplied, but he stopped himself from letting that slip out. "Handsome," he landed on.

B laughed. "Thank you." He looked up to meet Kurt's eyes and Kurt didn't even mind the empty socket. "I really like it, Kurt."

They ended up getting him a few different pieces he could mix and match, all of them fashionable but not really the kind of thing Kurt wore, they all had an old-fashioned, boyish vibe to them that suited B perfectly. Kurt also made sure to buy him several bowties.

They had been getting weird looks all day. Kurt knew B noticed them because he would flinch away sometimes when people looked scared, but he never said anything, so Kurt didn't either. They had lunch at the food court. B ended up loving French fries, and they were talking and enjoying themselves when someone nearby gasped loudly.

Kurt looked up to see a young mother with her child. The little boy, probably only seven or eight, was moving towards B with a delighted look on his face, but the mother pulled him back quickly. "You stay away from him!" she said loudly, sending both B and Kurt a glare. "That machine is an abomination!" She tugged the child along and moved away quickly.

Kurt sat stunned for a moment, watching them leave. When he looked back at B, he was staring down at his lap.

"B… Don't listen to people like her. She… She doesn't even _know_ you."

"Am I an abomination?" he asked.

Kurt's eyes widened and he leaned across the table to grab both of B's hands in his own. "No, of course you aren't."

"Then why do I scare people?"

"You're just... new and different, and people are scared of things they don't understand."

B nodded.

"But B, you’re also sweet and kind and if people can't see that, then it is their loss. Really, B, I’m so glad my dad found you."

B smiled, and when Kurt let go of his hands he reached for another French fry, seeming to feel better. "I'm glad too, Kurt."

After the mall, Kurt made sure to swing by a fabric store, picking out fabrics that would coordinate with B's new clothes so he could make him a bunch of eye patches.

"I think this is the best day I've ever had," B said afterwards, as they pulled into the driveway back at home.

"The best day you've ever had?" Kurt said, smiling. "Because you got to go shopping?"

"Because I got to go shopping with _you,_ Kurt." B answered, and Kurt's heart did a little flip-flop in his chest.

They went to the workshop and found Steve and Grace closing up. Grace whistled when she saw them. "Well B, don't you look sharp?"

"Thank you," B beamed, looking down at his new clothes happily.

"Your dad took Carole out on a date," Grace told Kurt. "Wanted you to know they'd be out late."

"Okay. Thanks, Grace!" Kurt said as he and B headed to the back room. Kurt emptied out the coat closet to make room for B's new things.

"So…" Kurt asked teasingly "What are your plans for this evening, B?"

"If Grace doesn't have any jobs for me, I guess I'll shut down like usual until the morning."

"You could come and have dinner. Or if you don't need any more food today, _I_ can have dinner and you can just come over to watch a movie with me. We could keep the best day you've ever had going."

"Kurt," B breathed out. "I would love that."

Later that evening found Kurt and B sitting on the couch together watching _The Sound of Music_. Kurt close to B and leaning against his side as he worked on stitching the first eye patch. B had an arm around Kurt's shoulder and was entranced by Julie Andrews. Kurt wasn't sure how they'd ended up sitting so close, but it felt comfortable and easy. Being with B always felt easy.

"Thank you," B whispered out of the blue, and Kurt glanced at him, raising an eyebrow in question. "For today. It was perfect. Do you think I can add 'shopping with Kurt' to my list of things I want to do even though we already did it?"

"Just so you can check it off?"

"Yes."

_ God, B is adorable. _ "I don't see why not."

B smiled, and Kurt watched his eyes crinkle, looking at the brown eye on his good side and wondering what color his eyes were originally. He leaned his head on B's shoulder, unable to stop the smile spreading on his own lips. "I agree, today was perfect."


	4. Metal & Wires

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TW: homophobic language.

Mercedes came home for a couple of days in July, and Kurt couldn't wait to spend time with her. She'd been his best friend in high school and now she lived on the West Coast, so Kurt didn't get to see her as often as he would have liked. He was getting ready to go out and meet her for dinner, B sitting cross-legged on his bed, keeping him company.

Throughout the summer, Kurt had spent more and more time with B. Not just working in the shop, but inviting B over as often as he could. Burt and Carole didn't mind, and Kurt didn't feel nearly as lonely as he did when he first got here. They spent time watching movies, or reading or just hanging out. B loved musicals, and mystery and fantasy books.

At first every new little thing B did amazed Kurt: an android that liked Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Project Runway, and with Kurt's help learned to make cookies one day. But the more time they spent together, the less shocked Kurt became. He didn't even really think of B as an android that often. He was just someone Kurt really enjoyed spending time with. A friend.

Since B started wearing the eye patches Kurt made him, people reacted to him much better. He still got the odd look because you don't see that many people walk around with eye patches, but otherwise things were easier and B noticed it right away.

They were running some errands for the shop one day when an elderly lady was having trouble getting her groceries into her car. B ran up to her and offered to help. She smiled and thanked him and called him "such a nice young man". She wasn't nervous around him at all.

Afterwards he smiled at Kurt, excitement all over his face. "She wasn't even scared of me!"

"She wasn't," Kurt said, his stomach filling with butterflies. He must have been staring at B or something, because he scrunched up his nose and tilted his head.

"Did I do something wrong, Kurt?"

"No. No." Kurt shook his head and looked away. "It's just that… you _are_ such a nice young man." Kurt grinned and winked at him and B blushed up to his ears. Being kind to people was just second nature to B. Kurt thought that must be part of the reason he hated it so much when people where scared of him, because he just wanted to make everyone smile.

He certainly made Kurt smile.

The only time after B started wearing the eye patches that they had any trouble had nothing to do with B being an android. Kurt had invited B to join him at the movies and as they were leaving Kurt reached for his hand, as he often did, liking the weight of it in his own hand.

Some teenaged boys behind them started laughing and then shouting. "Hey F*gs!" We don't want to see that stuff here! Gross!"

Kurt just squeezed B's hand harder. Years ago, a reaction like that would have made Kurt drop B's hand immediately, but after living on his own in New York and building more confidence, he tried not to let ignorant people bully him. B looked startled though. He kept a hold of Kurt's hand, but when they got to the car he looked at Kurt with wide eyes.

"Why did those men think we were gross?" he asked. "What did we do wrong?"

"Nothing," Kurt said, turning in his seat to face B. "We didn't do _anything_ wrong. Some people just don't like to see two men together."

"But… _They_ were all men and together."

"Yes, but they thought we were on a date, and they don't like gay people."

"They don't like people _just_ because they are gay?"

Kurt sighed. He hated that this was something B had to learn about the world. "Yes."

"People are scared of things they don't understand," B said, remembering the words Kurt had told him before.

"Yeah, and sometimes people don't want to understand."

B was quiet for a moment and Kurt watched him closely, trying to determine what he was thinking. Slowly, a smile grew on B's lips.

"They thought we were on a date?"

Kurt rolled his eyes and laughed. "That's what you got from what just happened?"

B shrugged and smiled. "I don't mind people thinking we were on a date."

Kurt cleared his throat, the car feeling too warm all of a sudden. "Um, yeah… I… Yeah."

Kurt had to keep telling himself he wasn't _dating_ B. They hung out, they enjoyed each other, they were friends. And he was so grateful to have met B this summer. But being friends with an android was one thing, dating him… That seemed like crossing a line.

Kurt almost invited B to join him and Mercedes for dinner that evening, but it had been so long since he'd seen his friend he decided it would be better to give Mercedes his full attention.

"You look nice, Kurt," B said from the bed, flipping through a copy of Vogue, but really watching Kurt get ready to go.

"You think so?" Kurt said, turning to face him. "Mercedes is kind of a big deal these days with her recording contract and everything, and I just don't want to look like a… yokel."

B lifted his eyebrows and then burst out in a laugh.

"What?" Kurt said seriously. "I don't want to look small-town or boring!"

B kept laughing.

" _B_ ," Kurt scolded, "I'm serious." But he couldn't help laughing a little himself.

B calmed himself down. "Kurt, are you crazy? You're the single most interesting person in all of Ohio."

Kurt smiled and sat down on the bed next to B. "You don't even know that many people in Ohio, B."

"Well, I'm an android. I did the math."

Kurt elbowed him playfully. "You _did not_. But you're sweet." He leaned in and placed a short, sweet peck on B's cheek before he realized he probably shouldn't have done that. He got up from the bed quickly and pretended not to notice B's awed expression or his blushing cheeks. It was hard keeping in check his own growing feelings for B and B's obvious crush on him. He didn't know what to do about any of it, so he opted to ignore it.

"I guess I shouldn't worry about it anyway," Kurt said taking one last look at his reflection. "Mercedes is my friend."

"And you're beautiful," B said, and Kurt turned to look at him in surprise.

" _What_?"

"Hum?" He looked up from the magazine like he hadn't just called Kurt beautiful. "Your outfit is great. I like those maroon pants on you. And the bumblebee brooch is just cool."

"Um, right," Kurt said, turning back to the mirror to finish his hair. "Feel free to hang out in my room if you want," Kurt said, grabbing his jacket on his way out. "You don't have to just go back to the workshop and shut down yet if you don't want to."

B smiled at him. "Thanks. Have a good time!"

Mercedes was one of those friends that even when Kurt hadn't seen her for months they just fell back together easily, like no time had passed. They talked about California and New York and how weird it felt to be back home, but how it also still felt like home. They talked about Mercedes' singing career and how Kurt was doing at NYADA. And about Mercedes’ boyfriend "Tank".

"What about you, Kurt?" Mercedes asked playfully. "The last time I heard of you having a boyfriend was that guy Adam. What happened there?"

"He just wasn't the one, Mercedes."

"That was over a year ago, haven't you been seeing anyone since then?"

Kurt shrugged. "I've been on some dates, but nothing serious."

" _Uh huh_. So no-one special at all?"

"Not really."

"Kurt. Do you realize that every other thing you've said tonight has something to do with B?"

"No, it hasn't!" Kurt denied, but as he thought about it, B had come up a lot.

"The last time I heard you talk about a guy so much was in junior year, when you had a crush on Sam Evans."

Kurt groaned just thinking about his habit of crushing on straight boys in high school. He didn't really know if androids had sexual orientations, but that wasn't even the point. He wasn't crushing on B, not really, but if he was, it would fall into his pattern of liking guys he had no future with.

"It's not like that, Mercedes. B is an android."

"I know, but he doesn't sound like an android when you talk about him."

"That doesn't change the fact that he is metal and wires, and not flesh and blood. Dating him would be… wrong."

"Okay, okay." Mercedes lifted her hands in surrender. "Just wondering." She smiled and changed the subject.

After dinner, Kurt hugged Mercedes goodnight and made her promise that she'd try to make it to Sam's end of the summer party next month. All the way home, he couldn't think of anything but what she had said about B. Kurt didn't have a crush on him, he just didn't. _But oh, if B was a human_. Kurt felt giddy just thinking about that. Yeah, if B was a human, Kurt would be head-over-heels for him.

He got back home late, so he made sure to be quiet going up to his room. He creaked open the door and flipped on the light near his bed, shrugging his jacket off and then freezing. B was lying curled on his side, one hand pillowed under his head and the other tucked close to his body. His eye was closed and his chest moving as if he was breathing softly in sleep. Kurt had seen B in sleep mode plenty of times, but he'd always been flat on his back lying on his metal table, never curled up with his lips parted and his eye patch a little crooked and his eyelashes softly brushing his face.

Kurt felt a shiver drag down his spine. B must have tried to stay up to wait for Kurt to get home; this must be what he looked like when his sleep mode kicked in without setting it. Kurt's stomach felt empty and his heart pounded in his chest. B looked so peaceful and gorgeous and he was lying on _Kurt's bed._

" _Oh god_ ," Kurt whispered to himself. "I am in so much trouble."

Kurt softly sat down next to him and carded his fingers through B’s curls. "B? Hey, sweetie."

B hummed a little and shifted in his sleep.

"B, time to wake up."

Kurt's breath caught in his throat as B's eye fluttered open. He looked up at Kurt. It seemed to take him a moment to remember where he was, but then he smiled. "You're home," he said softly.

"You fell asleep."

B sat up and stretched, the polo shirt he was wearing riding up a little and Kurt looked quickly away from the pants slung low on his hips and the firm smooth tan skin of his stomach. B hummed again. "Sorry. I didn't mean to go into sleep mode, but I'm programmed to sleep some every day."

"It's okay," Kurt said, trying to hide his smile.

"Did you and Mercedes have a good time?"

Kurt nodded. "I really miss her. I miss all my friends. I hate thinking about going back to New York and living in the dorms for another year, surrounded by people who I know but aren't really my friends."

B frowned folding his hands on his lap. "Would it be better if you had your own place? Or lonelier?"

"I didn't say I was lonely," Kurt responded quickly.

"No… I mean… I wasn't trying to say..." B looked down nervously. "I just worry about you going back to school. I know you love New York and it sounds amazing, but…" He glanced back up, looking through the lashes of his one good eye. "I worry about you going back and being alone."

Kurt studied his sincere face for a moment before he let out a breath, his shoulders slumping. "I worry too. I just need to make more of an effort to get to know people this year, but yeah, I do think I might get my own place." Kurt smiled. "There aren't many seniors staying in the dorms and I don't want to be _that_ guy."

B smiled too. "I'm sure you'll be fine. If you gave people a chance I know everyone would love you."

Kurt chuckled. "I don't know about _everyone_ , I can be a little difficult. But thanks B. I appreciate it."

B smiled and yawned tiredly before getting up off the bed. "I guess I should go to bed. See you in the morning?"

"See you then," Kurt said, and watched the droid leave the room. He got up and readied himself for bed before climbing under the covers and switching off the lamp. As he fell asleep, he wondered what it would be like to bring B back to New York with him.


	5. Making Plans

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Brief mention of past canon character death.

Sam Evans was a charismatic, blond-haired football player. Not the kind of guy Kurt would have imagined himself being friends with. But when he first joined the New Directions glee club in high school, Kurt immediately had a crush on him. It helped that Sam never made fun of him like some of the other Glee guys did, and Kurt being gay didn't bother him at all.

Of course, as luck would have it, Sam turned out to be not even a little bit gay and had dated several of the girls in Glee club at one time or another. Still, Sam was a great friend to Kurt. Kurt had been there for him when Sam's dad had lost his job during their junior year and Sam had been one of the friends there for Kurt when Kurt lost his step-brother Finn a couple of years later.

So when Sam came back to Lima in August, done with his summer job, Kurt jumped at the chance to spend time with him. They spent a lot of time at the Evans' because they had a pool, but they spent plenty of time at the Hummel's too. Sam had lived with them for a while during high school, so Burt and Carole enjoyed seeing him, plus Sam had always found Burt's workshop fascinating.

The day Sam first met B, Kurt was a little nervous about it. He wasn't sure why he was nervous. Sam generally liked everyone and B had never been anything but kind to anyone he met. Still something anxious squeezed Kurt's stomach.

They got to the shop one afternoon and B was watching Grace intently as she showed him how she was going to repair the android leg she was working on. Grace looked up and saw them first.

"Sam!" She hurried from around the work bench and gave Sam a tight hug; he hugged her back, lifting her small frame right off the floor. B smiled, but was it Kurt's imagination or did his smile seem a little strained?

"You're a sight for sore eyes!" Grace said as Sam placed her back down on the ground. "You should have taken a summer job here."

"I would have,' Sam said with a smile, "if one had been offered."

"Well, I know we are looking for someone to come on full-time, Sam. You should ask Burt about it."

"Really?" Sam glanced at Kurt.

Kurt just shrugged. "I'm not sure. My dad might be using B instead," Kurt said, motioning to the android that was standing quietly nearby.

Sam's eyes widened when he saw B. "No way. You're the new droid?"

B reached out a hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you. Kurt talks about you a lot."

Sam looked down at his hand, and for an awful moment, Kurt was afraid he wasn't going to shake it. But then he took it in his own, pumping it enthusiastically. "That's funny, I was going to say the same thing about you. Kurt has told me all about you."

B glanced at Kurt, his smile seeming more genuine now. "He has?"

Kurt could feel his own eyes widening. Did he really talk about B all the time to all of his friends? "Um, well… Of course," he said with a smile, and B grinned back at him.

Grace squeezed Sam's arm, saying she had to get back to work and Sam whistled at her as she walked away. Then he leaned forward to get a better look at B, moving rather unnecessarily close. "Your skin looks so real. I mean, it’s a little too perfect, but hey, the same could be said about Kurt's."

"I work hard on that."

"I know," Sam said, still studying B, who didn't seem to mind though. "What's under the eye patch?"

"Sam!" Kurt scolded.

But B just flipped the eye patch up to show Sam.

"Whoa! Dude, if I had that, I wouldn't cover it up. It looks so cool."

"It's broken though. I should have another eye, and it scares people. Sometimes it's better if people don't know I'm a droid."

"Still, it's pretty hard-core."

B smiled and looked down shyly, biting his lip a little. "Thank you."

Kurt's stomach suddenly felt like it was full of lead. It took him a moment to realize why. He didn't like B blushing shyly at Sam. That's the way B acted around Kurt and while Kurt didn't always know how to handle it, he had thought it was something special between them and he liked that. But what if B was programmed to act like that towards every guy? What if the relationship Kurt and B had wasn't unique? What if it was just B's programming? The thought made Kurt feel a little sick.

"I don't think you should be worried about people knowing you are a droid," Sam continued. "You are by far the most impressive droid I've ever seen."

B laughed, cheerful and bright. "I appreciate that, Sam."

Kurt was filled with the sudden desire to pull B close and snap "Mine!" at Sam. He shook his head, pushing the desire away. He was being ridiculous. B was his friend, and he could be friends with Sam too if he wanted. B didn't owe Kurt anything.

"So are you too busy working to come play video games with us?" Sam asked.

B looked at Kurt in surprise. "I didn't know Kurt played video games."

"I don't usually. But with Sam I do, I used to with Finn as well."

"He’s actually scarily good. You want to join us?"

B glanced from Sam to Kurt, seeming a little nervous. "I don't want to intrude."

Kurt smiled at him, trying to set him at ease. He wasn't going to let his irrational jealousy keep B from making a friend. Especially since Kurt was going back to New York in a few weeks and Grace was really the only other person B seemed to have bonded with.

"No B, you should join us. It will be fun."

Kurt tried to enjoy himself, they played video games and ordered pizza and Sam and B seemed to get along. But every time B laughed at one of Sam's jokes or Sam complimented B on how fast he picked up the game, a little sprout of jealousy would take root in Kurt’s heart, no matter how hard he was trying to weed them out. Plus, B was acting differently. Not anything someone else would notice, but he wasn't sitting as close to Kurt as he usually did, he didn't seem to make eye contact with him as much and the sweet smiles that he seemed to always send Kurt's way were fewer and further between.

By the time Kurt and B said goodnight to Sam for the evening, frustration was itching under Kurt's skin. He hated how jealous he was being. Because he didn't want B in that way, he wasn't looking for a romantic relationship with a droid. So why was he feeling this way? Maybe it had just been too long since he'd dated. Once he was back in New York, he needed to get back out there, so he could remember what it was like to be in a relationship again. Then maybe he wouldn't be grasping at straws and trying to make his friendship with B into something it couldn't be.

"Thanks for letting me join you this evening," B said, his hands in his pockets as he looked at the ground.

"I'm glad you did."

"I guess I'll head back to the workshop for the night."

"Um… You could come up to my room with me for a bit," Kurt offered. He at least wanted to figure out what was going on and why B was acting oddly around him.

B looked up with a slight smile on his face. "Okay."

B sat cross-legged on the bed like he usually did, and instead of starting his nightly moisturizing routine Kurt joined him. "So you and Sam seemed to get along well," Kurt remarked to open the conversation with.

"I like him. He's funny and a good friend to you."

"Yeah." They sat in silence for a moment. Kurt hated the awkwardness that hung in the air around them. It was never like this with B. It was always so easy between them.

"Are you two…" B started and then stopped. "How long have you and Sam… been together?"

"We met in high school when he joined the Glee club and-" Kurt stopped talking, the phrasing of B's question hitting him. "Together?"

"Yeah," B said, quietly searching Kurt's face.

"I mean, we've been friends since high school, but Sam and I aren't together together."

B's eyebrows slowly rose and a smile spread across his face. "He isn't your boyfriend?"

Kurt's heart felt a little tight. Was B relieved because he liked Sam? "No. He never has been. Why, are you interested in him?" Kurt could hardly believe he'd just come out and asked, but all this hemming and hawing was making him anxious.

"Interested in Sam?" B's face scrunched up and he tilted his head, then he seemed to understand what Kurt was asking. "Oh! No. No, no. Not like that. I mean, he's fun, but um… I… No." His cheeks were rosy and he looked down at his lap shyly, and Kurt felt like a weight was lifted off his shoulders.

"Oh, thank goodness."

B's face snapped up. "What did you say?"

"Um… I mean, because he isn't gay. He only likes girls in that way," Kurt hurried to say, trying to explain away why he was relieved B didn't like Sam.

"Really?" B said and started to laugh. "That clears things up then."

"Yeah, I guess it does." Kurt smiled at him, feeling guilty that he was so relieved. They talked about this and that and nothing for a little longer before B went back to the workshop and Kurt went to bed feeling better about the whole evening, but increasingly worried about his own confusing emotions towards B.

Kurt only had a couple of weeks left before he was to return to New York and he was trying to ignore the ache in his chest that was causing. He loved New York and he knew he would miss his family, but he would be fine. He'd lived in New York for the past three years, why was going back so hard this time? He tried to pretend it wasn't because of a curly-haired android that wore an eye patch.

He'd been looking online, and through people he knew in New York, for an apartment to lease, maybe someone who had a spare room they wanted to rent out, but so far he hadn’t been able to find anything that didn't seem sketchy, and he was worried he was going to end up in the dorms again this year.

He got the call from Mrs. Sherman on a Wednesday afternoon. Mrs. Sherman was a sweet old lady he knew from the retirement home Kurt volunteered at. She had taken a liking to him, but he was still surprised to hear from him. "I'm moving to Florida," she said over the phone, her weathered old voice full of cheerfulness. "The doctor said the climate down there will be better for my health."

She went on to explain that her daughter was going down there too for at least a year to help her settle in and that she had an apartment that she wanted to sublease to someone trustworthy. A few conversations later and some e-mailing back and forth with the daughter and Kurt had a place to stay when he would go back to New York.

"It's only for a year," Kurt said excitedly as he had dinner with his dad and Carole, "but that's plenty of time. I'll be done with school by then anyway. And it's in a nice part of town and is something I wouldn't normally be able to afford, but I think Mrs. Sherman talked me up to her daughter. It has more than enough space for me and is close to school." He was talking a mile a minute, but was too excited to slow down. "It's going to be great. My own place!"

"You aren't worried you'll get a little lonely in the city, living on your own?"

"People do it all the time, Dad."

"I know," Burt said and was quiet for a moment, but obviously thinking something over. "What if you didn’t have to be alone, though?"

"I don't think Rachel wants to room together anymore. Things were getting a little tense between us towards the end and her having her own place has helped our friendship tremendously."

"I wasn't thinking about Rachel," Burt said with a smile. "What if you took B to New York with you? He doesn't even really need a room of his own and he wouldn't add to the cost much because he needs so little. But you'd have someone around for company."

Kurt sat and stared at his father for a moment, his heart thrumming and his stomach turning over in excitement. He wanted to just blurt out, "Yes! Yes, please, can I take B?" But this was big decision, and he wanted to make sure both he and his dad had thought it over.

"Didn't you want to keep B on in the shop?" Kurt asked. "You're getting busier and busier there."

"Well, I'd like to hire Sam actually. He has always been quick to learn that kind of thing, and he's great with the customers. And the truth is, as impressive as B is, I don't really need a high-end droid," Burt shrugged.

"But what would he do in New York? I mean… Just wait around the apartment to keep me company? Wouldn't that be weird?"

"If you don't want him to go, bud, that's fine. Just say so. But he could help around the apartment and there are classes for droids of his caliber in New York, did you know that? He could learn a skill and even maybe get a job. No one pays droids as much, but still, it might be something he enjoys doing."

Kurt could picture it all too clearly. B taking mechanic classes or maybe even music lessons. He wondered if those were available for droids. He could probably even get him a job at the diner if he wanted it. And every day after school or work, Kurt could come back to the apartment and B would be there.

"You like the idea then?" Carole said, interrupting his thoughts, and Kurt realized he had let a big smile creep onto his face.

"I do like it," Kurt said, making himself sit and finish dinner, even though he wanted to go tell B right then.

"Well, it's settled then. And of course, if it doesn't work out, he can always just come back here."

"No, I think... I think it will be great dad."

Burt smiled and shot Carole a look, and he knew they must have talked about this already and had predicted Kurt's reaction, but he didn't care. He was going back to New York and B was going with him. After dinner, Kurt rushed to the workshop to find B and give him the good news. He was in the store room, leaning back in a chair and reading one of the books Kurt had given him.

"B!" Kurt called, full of enthusiasm.

B looked up from his book and smiled. "Kurt. What's going on?"

"Um... I have news," Kurt said and he was smiling so hard his cheeks hurt. B put down the book and stood up. "You know I go back to New York in a couple of weeks, right?"

B's face sobered for a fraction of a moment before he smiled again. "Of course."

"What if you came with me?" Kurt burst out.

B stood still and blinked at Kurt for a moment. His mouth opened and then closed before he finally spoke. "Came with you? To New York?" He voice was hushed and Kurt started to worry. What if B didn't want to move? This workshop was the only home he'd ever known, at least that he could remember. He might not want to leave.

"I mean, it's up to you. I'm not going to make you come. But if you did, we'd be roommates and I think it… it could be really great."

"You want me to come?" B's voice was so small Kurt's chest tightened with worry.

"Yes. I do."

Slowly, a smile bloomed over B's face and then he rushed forward and practically tackled Kurt with a hug. "I've been so worried about you leaving. And I was going to miss you so much!"

"You were?" Kurt asked, hugging him back, his stomach filling with happy little butterflies.

"Yes. Can I really come with you?" B pulled back, looking at Kurt's face as if afraid to believe it was true. "Burt won't mind?"

"He is going to hire Sam. It was my dad's idea that you join me."

"Join you." B echoed. "As a roommate?"

"Yes!" Kurt held onto B's arms, and they both started jumping a little. "Oh my god, B, this is going to be so much fun!"

B laughed and then hugged him again. "Thank you, Kurt. Thank you so much."

"I guess you are going to get to check 'see New York City' off of your list soon," Kurt said as he held him, breathing him in. B didn't really have a scent though, but it didn't bother Kurt. Especially now. Not only was Kurt not going back to New York alone, he got to bring his friend with him. Things were looking up for Kurt Hummel.


	6. New York, New York

Kurt opened the door to his New York apartment and took a deep breath as he stepped in. This was the first time he'd seen the apartment outside of pictures, but somehow it already felt more like home than the dorms ever did. He walked in a few steps and then dropped the heavy luggage he was carrying on the floor, looking around with a smile on his face. It was small, but cozy and well kept. Most of the regular tenant's furniture filled the place. It wasn't exactly what Kurt would have picked out, but it was nice and looked comfy.

He turned and smiled at B who walked in behind him, carrying even more luggage, sinceandroids were pretty strong and he insisted on helping, though most of it was Kurt's. B had been so excited he could hardly sit still in his seat on the airplane, and then during the cab ride, he kept asking Kurt questions about everything. B had been sporting such a big smile all day that Kurt was sure if he were human, his cheeks would have been sore for days.

"This is it!" Kurt said, spreading out his arms. "Our new apartment."

"Wow," B said as he carefully placed all the bags he was carrying on the ground. "I really like it."

Kurt laughed, feeling cheerful and a little slaphappy and tired from traveling. "I say we bring the luggage to our rooms and then order dinner. Leave unpacking until tomorrow."

"I can unpack for you if you're tired, Kurt," B offered happily.

"No." Kurt shook his head. "We've talked about this. You are here as my roommate, not as my personal servant. Besides, I am really picky about where everything should go."

B had been under the impression that he was to accompany Kurt to New York as his personal assistant. A fair assumption, since that was the role of most high-class droids in New York. The rich in big cities loved to spend ridiculous amounts of money on pretty droids that would follow them around and attend to them. That wasn't what Kurt wanted for B. Besides, he would feel weird about someone waiting on him all the time anyway. The other purpose for which many people kept such realistic droids in the city concerned more… physical reasons.

Kurt had been horrified to find out what some people did with their droids. He'd been looking up schools B could attend in New York and instead had stumbled across a whole community full of people who used and trained their droids for pleasure. Kurt had felt sick about it, and hadn't mentioned it to B. Though B might already know that some droids are used that way. Kurt hoped he didn't.

In the end, Kurt had found a learning annex that taught basic skills to droids. Burt signed B up for engineering and mechanics, saying it was worth the investment because he'd be even more skilled for work at the workshop later on. Kurt hadn't mentioned it to his dad yet, but he signed B up and paid for him to take a music class too, knowing B would love that.

Kurt took another look at the open living room that flowed seamlessly into the kitchen and then picked up his bags again and nodded down the hallway. B grabbed the rest and they went to find the bedrooms. "We haven't discussed who is getting what room," Kurt said as he looked into the master bedroom. According to the pictures, it was bigger than the other room and had a better closet.

B scrunched up his eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

"We could flip for it," Kurt suggested. "To see who gets the master bedroom and who gets the guest room?"

B's eyes widened. "You mean I get my own bedroom?"

"Of course," Kurt said, his heart hurting a little at the look of complete shock on B's face. "What did you expect?"

"I thought I might sleep on the couch or something. I didn't have a bedroom back in Lima."

Kurt bit his lip, feeling guilty. They should have made a space for B back home, but here at least he would have his own place that was just for him. "B, there are two rooms and you get one." Kurt said with a smile, watching B's face as it went from a look of amazement to a huge smile.

B insisted that Kurt take the bigger room, since he had more stuff anyway. Kurt was happy to agree. He really had wanted that closet.

They headed to B's room after dropping off all of Kurt's things. When they walked in, B's mouth fell open. "This is all for me?"

"All for you!" Kurt said. "Roommates, remember? And this is nice. The bed seems comfy," he said, bouncing down on it for a moment before popping back up again. "And there is a desk and a good closet," Kurt said, sliding the doors open. "Which is helpful, because we are going to have to get you some fall clothes soon."

"Kurt, I don't know how to thank you. I don't think most droids get treated like this," B said quietly.

Kurt turned away from the closet. "Like what?"

"Like we're equals."

Kurt moved forward and reached for B's hand, squeezing it in his own. "Well, you're my _friend,_ B. I don't know how else to treat my friends." B's eyes filled with tears and Kurt couldn't take it, so he wrapped him up in a warm hug. "I am so glad you're my friend, B."

"I'm so glad to," B whispered, holding him back. Hugging B was nice, really nice. It felt safe and natural, but it wasn't exactly like hugging a human. B was a little firmer, less give to him than a person would have, but Kurt didn't even really think about it, because B was just… B.

They had a few days to settle in before classes started and then they quickly fell into an easy rhythm. Kurt was busy at school and his job at a local theater. And B had the learning annex and a job as a server at the diner Kurt used to work at. The owner was pretty progressive and didn't care if B was a droid, as long as he could do the job.

Kurt didn't have a chance to see Rachel until he'd already been back in New York a couple of weeks. They met for dinner on a Monday when she didn't have a performance or rehearsal. It didn't take her long to get to the subject he knew she wanted to talk about.

"How come you didn't bring B to dinner?' she asked as she sipped on her wine.”I'd love to meet him and Mercedes says he is charming, and quite the looker too."

Kurt smiled and shook his head. " _Really_ … What else did Mercedes say?"

"Only that he seemed to be smitten with you."

Kurt choked on the bite he'd just put in his mouth and it took him a moment and a drink of water before he could respond. "Mercedes said that? She only met him the once at Sam's party."

"Apparently he was making puppy dog eyes at you all night."

Kurt tried to ignore the way his heart beat happily at those words. "That's ridiculous."

"You don't think he likes you? Because I've been thinking about it. Maybe he is programmed to… I don't know, fall for his owner. You never know what his position as a droid was before you got him."

Kurt's stomach twisted and he set his jaw, not knowing what part of that idea to tackle first. He hated the idea that someone would have used B that way. He also refused to believe B only liked him because his programming told him too. "If that were the case he'd have fallen for _my dad_. I don't own B."

"So you admit he's fallen for you?"

"What? No! God, Rachel." The words came out harsher than he meant them to.

"Well, you don't have to get snippy about it," Rachel huffed. "I just thought it was interesting to figure out what an android's motivation for imitating the appearance of infatuation would be."

"B isn't imitating anything."

"Of course he is. It isn't like he has _real_ emotions of his own. How could he?"

Kurt's stomach dropped and he looked down at his plate pushing his food around with his fork, suddenly not hungry.

"Kurt?" Rachel said, her tone softer now. "Kurt, you aren't… you don't have feelings for him, do you?"

Kurt looked up, and Rachel's face had lost the defensive look it had earlier and now only seemed concerned.

"B's my friend, Rachel."

"He's a droid."

"Yes. I know. And he is my friend. I don't think the two are mutually exclusive."

"But Kurt, you've worked in an androids’ shop your whole life… You know that they are just machines. I mean, he may be a highly advanced machine, but…"

Kurt just nodded, not wanting to argue with Rachel. It was usually pointless anyway. He couldn't help but think, though, that humans really were kind of advanced machines too, but there was something incredible that allowed them to feel things. What was it, that spark that made a human a person? Because whatever it was, he really did believe B had it as well. "Listen Rachel, just reserve judgment until you’ve met him, okay?"

"Fine. I can do that." Rachel clearly didn't want to fight either, because she quickly changed the subject.

When Kurt got back to the apartment, B was in the living room watching _The Apprentice_. He was leaning forward, eyes glued to the screen.

"Hey, B," Kurt said as he hung up his coat.

B turned on the couch and gave him a warm smile, greeting him with "Hi Kurt!" before turning right back around.

"You like _The Apprentice_?" Kurt asked, joining him on the sofa. "I mean, I love trashy reality TV, so no judgment."

B shook his head, but didn't look away from the TV. "It's okay. I like watching Project Runway with you more, but look!" He scooted forward on the couch and pointed to the screen. "See that woman there?"

"The one with the red hair?" Kurt asked. Behind Donald Trump stood a tall thin woman wearing a smart black business suit.

"Yes," B said and then looked at him again. "She's an android, but you can't tell at all. They mentioned it earlier or I wouldn't even have known."

Kurt looked back at the woman. Her bright hair was cut in a severe bob that ended at her chin and her skin was almost luminously pale. Once he really looked at her, she did look a little too perfect, but that was to be expected of people on TV sometimes anyway. He wouldn't have known she was an android either, but her skin was smooth and her posture perfect. She didn't seem as at ease with herself as B did.

"She works for him," B continued. "I've never seen another droid that looked… so human." He glanced at Kurt with a shy smile. "Do you think I look that real?"

"You _are_ real," Kurt said quickly. "But yes, you look just as human as she does."

"Besides the eye," B said, touching his patch.

"The patch is cute," Kurt insisted. "Haven't you seen other droids like you in your classes at the annex?"

"No, not like that. There are a few that are really close to human-looking, but not like that woman. And they…" B shrugged. "I don't know. The other droids at the annex don't like me that much because they say I could pass as a human, and I guess to them that isn't a good thing?"

"What?" Kurt asked, upset by what B was saying.

"But her," B said nodding towards the screen. "There are other androids out there like me. And I guess… That's kind of comforting, you know?" B asked, leaning back as the show went to commercial.

Kurt licked his lips, trying to think of what to say. "Are you having trouble in your classes, B?"

"No, not really. I just thought I'd make friends with the other droids, and I have with one. His name is Tye. He doesn't seem to mind that I am more advanced than the rest of them. He's a kid, built to look 13 or 14. I didn't even know they made androids that looked that young."

"I've never seen one, but I know they're out there. People have all kinds of reasons for making droids the way they do," Kurt said, thinking about a story he read about a couple who had tried, and failed, to design a droid that would look and act like their deceased daughter.

"I think Tye knows how it feels to be different all the time. He says people are disturbed to see a young-looking droid. And I get that, I'm not like humans, but I'm not like the other droids either. I'm an outsider."

Kurt wrapped an arm around B's back, tugging him close. "I'm sorry. I never thought about how hard that must be on you."

"I'm okay. Besides, it isn't like that with you," B said quietly, leaning into Kurt's side. "With you, I just feel like… _me_."

Kurt smiled. "I feel the same way about you. You're B, and you know what? I really like B."

B chuckled and reached for the remote control. "I think _The Real Housewives_ are having a marathon on another channel."

"Oh yes, please!" Kurt said, feeling comfortable and at home as they settled down to watch together.

He couldn't get their conversation out of his head, though. He suddenly wanted to know more about B. Where was he from? Who made him and what for? And what about other human-looking droids? Did they all have that special spark of life that B seemed to have? He was determined to do some research, but he wasn't going to tell B until he knew what he was going to find out.


	7. Nightmares & Lists

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello readers! I wanted to thank you all for reading this story, for your kudos and your reviews (even if I have been slow to respond to them) they really help a writer keep writing. I hope you enjoy this chapter I think it is my favorite so far.

Kurt was wrenched out of a peaceful sleep by a strange noise in the apartment. He sat up straight in bed, his heart pounding, thinking of intruders and murderers and robbers. He leaned over in bed and reached for the baseball bat Rachel had given him when he first moved to New York,  _"You never know Kurt, it doesn't hurt to be ready to defend yourself."_

Kurt shook his head, remembering Rachel's warning, and reached for his phone charging on the lampstand instead. He'd rather call 911 than go after an intruder with a bat and get himself shot in the process. He sat in bed with his phone in his hands and his ears straining to hear the noise that woke him up.

Kurt held his breath as he heard something from down the hall. It didn't sound like someone lurking around his apartment. It sounded like... Crying? Kurt's heart sped up for a different reason as he threw his covers off and hurried out of bed. He rushed down the hall to B's room, standing outside of the door to listen. He was right; the noise was coming from B's room. He heard a shaky intake of breath and a short, cut-off sob, like B was trying to stop crying.

Kurt's heart twisted in his chest as he knocked lightly on the door. "B?" he called. "Can I come in?"

There was a pause where Kurt held his breath before B responded, "Yes." His voice was trembling and soft, and Kurt couldn't get to him fast enough. He opened the door and took in the sight before him. B was sitting up in bed, shakily wiping at his cheeks that were damp with tears, looking distraught. A choked whimper made its way from Kurt's throat. It hurt to see B this way. He rushed forward, crawling up on the bed and kneeling by B, bringing one hand up to tentatively rub small circles on B's back.

"I'm sorry, Kurt," B said, sniffling.

"Sorry? What for?"

"For waking you up. I didn't mean to."

"No, no, B," Kurt cooed. "Don't apologize. Just… Please, tell me what's wrong?"

B looked up at him, his eye wide and wet. It wasn't red-rimmed the way a human eye would be after crying, but B's cheeks were splotchy with color and his bottom lip trembled in a way that made Kurt feel like crying himself.

"I don't know," B said, taking a deep breath and visibly calming down as Kurt continued to rub his back. "I think I must… I must have had a dream."

Kurt froze, but only for a moment. He didn't want to upset B any more than he already was, so he settled down next to him, keeping a hand on his back. "A dream?"

"More like a nightmare," B said, quietly looking down at his hands twisting the sheets in his lap.

Kurt didn't know what to say. Androids couldn't dream; they didn't have nightmares. Kurt didn't understand what was going on, but then again, when did B ever do things the way other droids did? Kurt needed to not think of B as a machine right now, but as a friend. A friend who was clearly upset.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Kurt asked, quietly leaning into B's side.

"Um…" B bit his lip and sighed. "I don't know for sure. It’s all kind of fuzzy now, but there were… boots?"

"Boots?" Kurt sat up a little from B. "You had a fashion nightmare?" he smiled, hoping to lighten the mood. He was rewarded by a small smile in return as B shook his head.

"No. More like… boots stomping on me and kicking me?" He looked up at Kurt. "Like I was on the ground and couldn't get away."

Kurt's throat tightened and he felt a little ill. "You mean a dream about people beating you up? Attacking you?"

B nodded. "Yes."

"Oh god, B. I'm so sorry." Kurt leaned his head against B's and wrapped him in his arms. "That isn't going to happen. I would never let that happen to you." Kurt didn't know what had brought this on, why B would dream that. "Are… are you afraid of people treating you that way?" Kurt asked softly.

"No. Not really." B exhaled, his breath tickling Kurt's neck as he hugged him back. "I'm not actually scared of that happening. I don't know why I dreamed about it."

Kurt pulled back a little to look B in the face. His eye patch was off- apparently he didn’t keep it on to sleep - and the red light in his socket blinked like it always did, but it was B's good eye Kurt couldn't look away from. He just wanted B to not look so miserable. "Have you had dreams like this before?"

B shook his head. "No. I… mean. I don't know. I think I might have had dreams before. But I've never thought about them or remembered them afterwards."

Kurt nodded silently, trying to understand what this meant.

"I'm sorry again for waking you," B said, his voice clearer now that he'd calmed down.

Kurt ran his hand down B's back and reached to hold both B’s hands in his own. "Please B, don't apologize."

"I just feel like you're always doing things for me. Being here for me and… And I don't want our friendship to be uneven."

"Oh, B," Kurt said with a smile, catching B's eye to make sure B was looking at him and saw that Kurt meant what he was saying. "Our friendship isn't uneven. You being here in New York is such a wonderful thing for me. I'm so glad to have you as a friend and roommate. You listen to me complain about my classmates and freak out over assignments. And you are there after a long day of work and school, always greeting me with a smile. This friendship isn't one-sided, I promise you."

B's face finally lit up with a real smile, spreading from his lips and cheeks to crinkle around his eyes. "Really?"

"Of course, silly," Kurt said. "I'm kind of a drama king, and you put up with it beautifully."

B laughed, and the sound of it made Kurt's stomach swoop.

"I love living with you," B said, his smile turning a little bashful, and suddenly Kurt was very aware that he was sitting in bed with B while only wearing a tank top and a pair of boxers. B was in a T-shirt and pajama bottoms and Kurt felt his stomach swoop for a whole other reason.

"Are you okay now?" Kurt asked, trying to not let his eyes look at B hungrily.

"I'm fine," B said sweetly. "Go back to bed. I know you have a busy day tomorrow."

Kurt squeezed B's hands before climbing off the bed, looking behind at B's soft smile one last time. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Kurt. Thank you for checking on me."

Out in the hall, Kurt shut B's door and leaned against the wall and closed his eyes, his heart beating a little fast.

He had only left so quickly because he had wanted nothing more than to just lean in and kiss B. And not just as a friend. He wanted to feel his lips on B's lips and his hands on B's skin. He wanted to make B gasp and shiver and… oh god. Kurt needed to stop this train of thought. He was starting to have a situation in his boxers. That realization led to another one. He didn't even know if B was…  _equipped_  for the kind of things Kurt was fantasizing about doing with him.

Kurt cleared his throat and headed to his room. He really needed to nip these thoughts in the bud, they couldn't lead anywhere. He was friends with B and it was inappropriate for him to be thinking about him like this. He didn't want to betray the trust B had in him. What he did want to do was get to the bottom of what was going on with B. Nightmares? Why would a droid have nightmares? It was high time to learn more about where B had come from, time to learn about Smythe Industries.

The next day, Kurt hung out at school even after his classes were over. He wanted to do some research without the possibility of B stumbling upon it. The first thing he did was look up Smythe Industries and their descriptions of their top-of-the-line androids. Words and phrases like "life-like", "believable" "custom-crafted" filled the pages. But nothing that made Kurt think their androids had emotions, or desires or that they dreamed.

He also couldn't find anything about a line of "B" androids. Smythe Industries' most expensive droids, at prices that made Kurt's jaw drop, were "Z" class droids. They made 20 of them a year and were different from their popular "G" line because the Z droids were customized to the buyer's description. You could basically design your perfect droid down to nose shape and the tenor of their voice, and they had personality options too.

The personalities interested Kurt, but he still couldn't find anything that made him think these advanced droids were like B. What he really needed was to talk to someone from Smythe Industries, and he might just have an opportunity to do so. Smythe Industries was founded in Ohio, but now their corporate offices were in New York City, and they were holding an in-house expo soon.

The expo was for potential buyers (invite only), and for android engineers. Kurt technically wasn't an engineer, but his father was, so Kurt could probably bluff his way into this party using his dad's credentials. He looked at the registration fee, and let out a frustrated breath. He'd have to dip into his savings, but it was really the only way to see anyone from Smythe Industries - they were very closed-doors to visitors.

Kurt clicked on the Register Online button. He was going to do this; he needed to know. His heart needed an answer before he fell for B even deeper than he already had.

Kurt got home that evening, groceries in hand. B wasn't in the living room. He might still be at work in fact. He headed to the kitchen and placed the bags down on the counter, accidentally knocking something to the floor. Kurt leaned down and picked it up, smiling when he saw the yellow legal pad from Burt's office that B wrote his "Things To Do" list on.

Several of them were already crossed off. "See New York", "Go to a movie", "Pet a dog". Kurt chuckled. Seriously, how could a person be as adorable as B was? His eyes glanced up to the top of the list, to some of the first things B had written down. There was one that hadn’t been crossed off yet: "Kiss someone", except the word “someone” had been crossed out, and it now read “Kiss  ~~someone~~  Kurt”.

Kurt couldn't breathe for a moment, his heart in his throat. He stood up and put the pad back on the counter, face down, as if he had never read B's private list. He swallowed heavily, his heart skipping a beat. He shouldn't have seen that. He had told B from the beginning to only share the items on the list he wanted to share. Kurt didn't think B meant for him to read that, but he had and now Kurt couldn't get it out of his head.

B wanted to kiss him.

"Oh god," Kurt moaned. "What am I going to do?" He nervously brushed a hand over his hair and started putting away the groceries. He'd bought a new throw blanket for B's room, not because he needed it really, but because Kurt had thought it was pretty and B's room still needed a little sprucing up so it wouldn't look like just a guest room anymore.

He walked down the hall and opened the door to B's bedroom, before freezing as a yelp escaped his lips.

B was home.

He was standing in his room in the middle of changing out of his diner uniform and he had nothing at all on except a black undershirt. Kurt's eyes drifted down on their own accord before he drew in a sharp breath, backed out of the room and slammed the door. He ran to his own room, heart beating fast and cheeks burning with embarrassment.

Okay, well… That at least answered Kurt's questions about whether or not B was equipped. He. Was. And oh god, oh god, oh god! Kurt threw himself down on his bed and buried his face in his pillow. He shouted into it for a moment, mortification (and if he was being honest) a little desire thrumming through him.

It was only few minutes later that there was a knock on Kurt's door. He knew he needed to talk to B about what had just happened, but he really didn't know if he could face him. "Come in," Kurt moaned and looked up as B opened the door and poked his head around, now fully clothed.

"Oh god," Kurt said, burying his head again. He heard B walk to the bed and felt the mattress dip as he sat.

B placed a hand on Kurt's back and Kurt wanted to moan again. "What's wrong, Kurt?" B asked, and his voice was laced with worry.

"I'm sorry," Kurt said into his pillow. "I am so, so sorry."

"Sorry for what?"

Kurt looked up at B's face, and he wasn't blushing. He didn't seem embarrassed at all, just confused.

"I just walked in on you… and I saw… and you were… and… I…" Kurt's throat felt dry.

B shrugged. "So you saw me without clothes. No big deal, Kurt."

Kurt blinked at him and shifted over to his side to look up at him better. "No big deal?"

"I mean… That's how your dad found me and all the mechanics in his shop have seen me in some state of undress while I was being repaired. I guess knowing that someone put you together and others have worked on you… I don't know." He smiled and it was light and carefree. "I guess being naked in front of people isn't that big of a deal to a droid."

"Oh," Kurt said, and sat all the way up so he was next to B.

"I'm sorry I embarrassed you, though."

"No. That was my fault. I should have knocked."

B grinned and lifted up the blanket Kurt must have dropped outside of B's door. "Is this for me?"

"Yes," Kurt said, trying to will his cheeks to stop blushing. "I thought it could go on the end of your bed."

"I love it," B said, bumping Kurt's shoulder with his own. "It’s the same shade of blue that your eyes are in the morning when you’re sleepy and haven't had your coffee yet."

Kurt laughed at that, feeling better. "Rachel walked into the bathroom once when I was showering. And she had a boyfriend for a short while that just walked around the loft naked."

"Well, that's taking it a little far," B said, grinning.

"No kidding!" Kurt smiled too, glancing at B's lips and trying not to think about what he had read on the list in the kitchen. This was the day for seeing things he wasn't supposed to see. "I guess we're officially roommates now."

B got up from the bed. "Not until I walk in on you showering," he said with a wink, and Kurt's mouth fell open. He knew B was joking… He was joking, right?

"I'm going to start dinner," B said as he walked to the door. "Thanks for the blanket!" And with that, he was out the door and down the hall.

Kurt was left with his mouth still open and his mind conjuring up images it shouldn't be thinking of. He fell back onto the bed with a groan, and then he started to laugh. B was kind of cheeky, who knew? Kurt liked it.


	8. Phone Calls & Phone Numbers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you are for your excitement over this story. For a little idea I had that I thought I'd write and finish in a bout 3 chapters it has really taken on a life of its own, and it makes me so happy to know people are enjoy it. Always feel free to leave a comment because I love to hear from you!

Kurt leaned back against his headboard, smiling up at the screen on his wall as his father answered his call. They had a weekly appointment to talk every Tuesday, but Kurt was exceptionally calling him on a Friday, because he had something particular he needed to discuss with him. B was still having nightmares.

Kurt wasn't sure how often they happened - he hoped not every night - but he'd been woken up twice more by B shouting in his sleep, only to find him sitting up in bed and panting hard. B always tried to brush it off as not a big deal, but Kurt was worried about him. He still couldn't find any information about androids dreaming anywhere, and the Smythe expo was over a week away. Luckily, he happened to be related to an android expert.

"Hey Kurt." Burt's smiling face came up on the screen. "How are you doing, buddy?"

It was always a relief to talk to his dad, even if it did tug at his heart with a little homesickness, or maybe it was more like nostalgia, because he felt at home in New York. Kurt made idle chit-chat with his dad for a little while. He was nervous to tell him about B's dreams, only because he had a hard time thinking of "fixing" him. He didn't want to do anything that was going to change B from being B.

Burt could read him like an open book though. "Kurt, did you have something you wanted to tell me?" he eventually asked.

Kurt chuckled and looked down at his bedspread before taking a breath and looking back up at his dad. "I have a question about B, actually."

Burt's brow furrowed. "Are you having difficulties with him? Because we can always take him back here at the shop."

"No!" Kurt said quickly. "Um… No. It's not that. Dad, have you ever heard of droids having dreams?"

"Dreams?" Burt repeated, and Kurt couldn't read his expression.

"Nightmares actually. B has nightmares sometimes. He wakes up at night crying and I… I don't know what to do to help him."

"Kurt. Androids don't have dreams."

Well, of course, that's what everyone thought, but it wasn't true in this case. "B does."

Burt was quiet for a long time, scratching his head and thinking. "Well…" he finally replied. "Droids have good memories. They can store facts, and languages and all kind of things when they're programmed to. Maybe there is something malfunctioning with his memory drive and it is pulling up memories from before we had him."

"Like repressed memories?" Kurt asked, lifting in his eyebrows. "You think the things he's dreaming actually happened?"

"It makes more sense to me than his mind just making up dreams like humans do."

"Right," Kurt nodded. He still wasn't convinced that B was incapable of having actual dreams, but his dad's theory made sense.

"Do you know what he dreams about?"

"People attacking him," Kurt replied quietly.

Burt let out a long breath. "I mean, it is possible."

Kurt felt a little sick. He hated that B had these dreams at all, but the thought that something like that actually happened to him was even worse.

"You might be able to fix it," Burt said. "You could wipe his memory drive."

Kurt's eyes grew round and his stomach dropped. "Dad, no. No, I don't want him to forget me… or... or anything he's learned at school," Kurt added quickly.

Burt shook his head. "No, I mean, you could erase anything that is in there from before we found him," Burt clarified. "I could show you how."

"Oh." Kurt wasn't sure he liked that either. If B had had a life before the Hummels, did Kurt really have the right to erase it? "I'll ask him if he wants to."

"You don't have to ask," Burt said, shrugging. "If it is going to make things easier for you, then just fix him. He’s your droid."

Those words hit Kurt like punches. He didn't consider B a possession. Or something that needed to be fixed. B was his own person. Kurt forgot that his dad, an android specialist, would have a different idea about droids. "Um… I don't know dad. I think B has the right to make that choice."

"Hmm," his dad huffed out and looked at him in a way that made Kurt want to squirm; it was the way his dad always looked at him when he knew Kurt was hiding something. The way he found out Mercedes had smashed Kurt's car window that one time. The way he found out Kurt had snuck into a local private school to spy on their glee club. The way Burt found out that Kurt was being bullied and threatened by a jock at school. He was really bad at hiding things from his dad.

"God, Kurt," Burt finally said. "You like him, don't you?"

"Of course I do," Kurt said, trying to sound casual. "You and Carole like him too."

"Kurt." Burt's voice grew stern. "Do you have feelings for him? You aren't…" He looked a little hesitant to say anything more, but forged on all the same. "You don't have a crush on a droid, do you?"

"He... He's not a regular droid," Kurt answered, not wanting to lie to his dad, but not able to say the actual words either.

"Oh, Kurt," Burt sighed, his shoulders slumping. "I know you get lonely sometimes-"

"That's not it."

"Maybe B should come back to Ohio for a while."

"Dad! No." Kurt's heart started to beat faster. "It isn't a big deal. And why would it matter anyway? If… If I did have feelings for him? B is good and caring and funny and sweet. Would it be so bad?"

Burt ran his hand over his head and took a moment before speaking. Kurt knew his dad was trying to get his thoughts together. "It is bad. Or it could be," he finally said. "I have no doubt that B treats you and others well. B's a good droid. But he is still a droid, Kurt. He's a machine. What kind of future is there for you in that?"

"Dad."

"No. I know you, Kurt. You don't like to date casually, when you fall for someone, you fall hard. And B? You could never have a normal life with him. He can't grow old with you. He can't relate to being human. I'm afraid for you, Kurt. If you were with a droid, people would judge you for it. It would isolate you."

"When have you ever told me to not be myself because people would judge me for it?" Kurt said. His voice was scratchy with tears, and he didn't know if he was upset or angry or maybe both.

His dad sighed, looking wounded. "You know I have your back, always. I just don't want to see you hurt. This thing between you and B? It isn't a relationship that can work long term. It just isn't, and it could stop you from finding someone you could be happy with."

"Right," Kurt said, clearing his throat and looking away from the screen, not able to meet his dad's face. "I mean, there isn't really a relationship at this point anyway. B is my friend." Kurt was looking down at his hands in his lap, but he made himself look up. "But I can see there being something between us. And it's my choice. Mine and B's."

"Yes, it is," Burt said with a gentle smile. "And I will love you and support you, no matter what. But just think about what I said? Will you at least take everything into consideration?"

"Of course," Kurt smiled back.

He changed the subject to something lighter and they both let the conversation drop. When they ended the call, Kurt felt a little sick and jittery. He knew his dad was only trying to protect him. He just didn't understand why no-one else could see B the way he did.

He wandered into the living room to find B curled up in an armchair, the blue blanket Kurt had bought him over his knees, reading a book. Kurt smiled at the look of concentration on B's face, dark eyebrows bunched up and dark lashes fanned across his hooded eyes.

B looked up when he heard Kurt, and a sweet smile spread over his face. "How's Burt?" he asked.

Kurt flopped down on the couch. "Good. I was talking to him about your nightmares, actually."

B sat up straighter, closing the book and laying it in his lap. "Really?"

"I hope that's okay."

"Of course it is. What did he think?"

"He thought maybe they were… memories?" Kurt said, keeping a close eye on B's reaction.

He looked thoughtful for a moment, tilting his head adorably before he spoke. "From before I ended up in The Heap?"

"That's the theory."

"They aren't very happy memories."

"No." Kurt shook his head. "My dad could show me how to erase them. Not all your memories!" Kurt added quickly when he noticed B's frightened expression. "Just the ones from before my dad found you. It would get rid of the nightmares."

B nodded slowly. "That'd be nice, but…"

"But what, B?" Kurt said, leaning forward.

"Well, if I have memories about who I was before you found me and you erased them, don't you think it would… change me? I mean, even if I don't really remember them, aren't our experiences what make us who we are?"

"Yes," Kurt said softly.

"Well then, what if even if I don't consciously remember them, they are important? What if there's a chance I could remember them eventually? I mean, if you want me to do it-"

"No," Kurt shook his head. "I thought I'd tell you about that option, but it is 100% up to you."

B smiled at him and got up from the chair to sit next to him on the couch. Right next to him. "Then I think I want to keep my hidden memories. Nightmares and all."

Kurt looked at his face, calm and sure and so very close. It would just take Kurt leaning forward a little to make their lips meet. Kurt swallowed and looked away from B's warm brown eye. "Good," he smiled. "I was hoping you'd want to keep them."

B reached over and grabbed one of Kurt's hands, holding it between them. "Thank you, Kurt."

Kurt sighed happily, loving how well his hand fit in B's. He leaned his head on B's shoulder. "What are you reading?"

B lifted the book he'd carried over with him. "20,000 Leagues Under The Sea."

"How would you feel about reading it out loud?"

"I'd love to read it to you, Kurt," he said softly. "Do you want me to start again from the beginning? I haven't gotten very far yet."

"Okay, if you don't mind."

"I don't mind," B said, and his melodic voice started to read, "The year 1866 was signalized by a remarkable incident, a mysterious and puzzling phenomenon, which doubtless no-one has yet forgotten."

Kurt leaned into B, letting the warmth of his voice wash over him, feeling perfectly content.

Rachel was coming over for dinner, and Kurt was a flurry of activity as he moved around the apartment, making sure it was nice and neat and everything was where it belonged. Then he headed to the kitchen to make sure the baked falafels, which he had made specifically because it was the best vegetarian recipe he had, weren't burning. He opened the oven and peeked in.

"I just checked those, Kurt," B said, smiling and leaning up against the counter to watch him.

"You did?"

"You asked me to make sure they didn't burn, remember?"

Kurt bit his lip, "Oh, yeah." He closed the oven and looked around the kitchen. Surely there was something he'd forgotten to do.

"The cucumber sauce is in the refrigerator and the pie is over here cooling," B pointed. "The sautéed veggies are almost done. The table is all set. Everything is ready," B assured him.

"Right," Kurt said, rubbing his hands down his pants anxiously.

"Why are you so nervous about this?" B asked, his face concerned. "You used to live with Rachel. She's one of your best friends."

"I know. I know. I'm not nervous," Kurt said quickly, and they both knew that was a lie. The truth wasn't something Kurt could say out loud, though. He was nervous because this was the first time Rachel and B would meet and he really really wanted them to like each other. Well, B liked everyone, but he wanted Rachel to… to what? To get it? To understand? To be able to see B as the person he was.

B smiled and reached out to squeeze Kurt's hand. "Everything is lovely, and I can't wait to meet Rachel." Kurt took a deep breath, feeling better just because of B's calming presence.

Rachel arrived early, but Kurt was expecting that. She came in all smiles and dark hair whooshing behind her, hugging Kurt and then hugging B as soon as he had been introduced.

"I'm so happy to finally meet you," she said, holding B out at arms' length and looking him over. "Kurt has told me so much about you."

B blushed a little. "He talks about you all the time too."

Rachel smiled winningly.

"Here, let me take your coat," he said, helping her out of the bright pink monstrosity she was wearing, with a matching barret that she took off and gave B as well. Kurt rolled his eyes, but felt pretty good. So far, things were going well.

They drank wine and ate the falafels with cucumber sauce, B just nibbling and not trying the wine. He said that wine was too expensive to waste on a droid drinking. Kurt didn't really like that, but wasn't going to force it either. Rachel monopolized most of the conversation, talking about her role as Fanny Price and how much she loved it, and about an interview she'd just done for Playbill magazine. B didn't seem to mind; he hung on her every word.

"Rachel, that sounds so exciting," he said, beaming.

"Oh, it is. It's everything I ever dreamed it would be. But you know, it is also so exhausting, keeping the public happy and being there for my fans." She sighed dramatically and Kurt was pretty sure he saw B holding back a chuckle. "But it is all so worth it."

Kurt used to get jealous hearing Rachel talk about her career. Kurt was still at NYADA and working hard and hadn't caught his big break yet, whereas Rachel had dropped out during her first year because she already had a part on Broadway. He was happy for her though, and that feeling eventually swallowed up any jealousy he felt.

Rachel must have realized she’d been talking about herself all evening, because as Kurt was serving the cherry pie B had made, she started to ask B questions about how he liked New York and about his classes. He told a story about his music lessons and another droid who could play any song put in front of him, but he played them all in a Stentato, banging hard on the keys, no matter what the written dynamic was. The way B told the story, and his impression of the other droid had both Kurt and Rachel in stitches.

Kurt wasn't sure what Rachel was thought about B, but Kurt knew the whole evening he was growing more and more fond of him. B was so good with Rachel and seemed to thoroughly enjoy her company.

When Rachel left, late and a little tipsy, she asked if Kurt would walk her down to the curb. Kurt knew this was when she was going to give her ruling on what she thought about B. She looped her arm through Kurt's as they reached the hallway and smiled brightly at him.

"B is lovely," she said, and Kurt only realized he'd been a little tense all evening as he started to relax. "I can see why you like him so much. I mean, he is a dreamboat, for starters."

Kurt smiled. "Yeah."

"Plus, he loves music, and he is so sweet. I can definitely understand why you are falling for him."

Kurt wanted to contradict her, but she was right. Kurt was falling hard.

"I just wish…" She sighed, and Kurt tensed up again. This was it. "I just wish he was a real person, you know?"

"He is a real person," Kurt said firmly. How many times was he going to have to say this?

"Okay. Okay," Rachel said pacifyingly. "I wish that he was human, then."

They walked outside and Kurt was quiet. He didn't know what to say to that.

"How long has it been since you've been on a date?" she asked suddenly.

"Um…" Kurt thought about it. "A little while."

"Have you dated since you got back to New York?"

"No."

"When you were in Ohio?"

"Of course not."

"So you haven't been on a date since last semester?" She raised her eyebrows and Kurt tried to push down his frustration at the interrogation.

"Yes, I guess that's right."

She reached into the pocket of her ridiculously pink peacoat and withdrew a folded slip of paper. "Here."

Kurt took the paper and read it. It was a phone number.

"His name is Elliot. He just graduated NYU last year and is an understudy for Nick Arnstein in my play. Kurt, he’s really great. And I've told him all about you."

"You're setting me up with someone?" Kurt stared at the phone number blankly before looking back up at Rachel.

"Yes, I am. You haven't been on a date in almost a year, and now you're crushing on your droid."

Kurt opened his mouth to speak, but Rachel lifted a hand and continued. "Just go on a date with a human, Kurt. If you like Elliot, then great. If you don't, then you can say you tried and I'll leave it alone."

Kurt sighed. She might have a point. It had been a long time since he'd been out, and he still wasn't sure he was ready to take a next step with B. He wanted to. He really wanted to. So much so that he'd started dreaming of B at night. But maybe dating a human was a better, more grounded idea.

"Elliot is super hot, if that helps."

"I'll think about it, Rachel," Kurt said, opening the cab door for her.

"Will you really?"

"Yes." Kurt smiled. "I will, really."

"Good." Rachel climbed in the cab. "He's super hot, remember!" And then she was pulling away and Kurt was left on the sidewalk with the phone number of a hot actor who also, happily enough, was a human. He thought back on everything his dad said about dating B. His heart was telling him to go for it with B, but at the same time, if he could have something with a human, shouldn't he give that a chance? In any case, it had been too long since he'd been on a date, and it could be fun.

He should call Elliot.


	9. Elliott

Kurt sat at the restaurant waiting for his date, his legs crossed and jogging nervously. Waiting for a blind date, Kurt decided, had to be one of the purest forms of torture. Kurt looked down at his watch. Elliott wasn't late, Kurt was just early. He usually got places early anyway, but especially when he was nervous. And right now, butterflies were starting a boot-camp in his stomach.

It really had been too long since he'd been on a date if this was how it made him feel. Of course, if he was being honest with himself, part of his anxiety was because of B. It wasn't B's fault, he hadn't done anything wrong. It was more from Kurt's guilt over B.

After Rachel gave Kurt Elliott's number, he waited a day before caving and dialing it. Kurt had been pleasantly surprised. Elliott seemed excited to hear from him and even in their short conversation where they set up a time and place for a date, Kurt could tell Elliott was charismatic and good-natured.

Kurt started to get excited about actually going out for once. Except that a part of him still wanted to just call the whole thing off and ask B out instead. He could just picture B's face if he did, eyebrows raised and a huge grin on his face. Of course, Kurt didn't know for sure that B's reaction to being asked out would be positive, but he seemed to like Kurt and… and it was all really complicated.

Kurt took the coward’s way out and didn't even tell B about his date until Friday, the actual day of his date. Kurt had thought he'd just go out with Elliott, see if there was even anything between them and just tell B he was out with a friend. When it came down to it, though, Kurt couldn't bear to lie to B. He deserved better than that.

Kurt was in his room in the outfit he was fairly certain he’d be wearing for the date, but holding another shirt up in front of him when B poked his head in.

"Hey Kurt," he said with a smile, and Kurt turned to smile back.

"Wow," B said, his eye growing wide. "You look even more incredible than usual."

Kurt's smile grew. B gave the best compliments, and he was always so sincere about them.

"You think?" Kurt asked, twirling around to show off the outfit he'd painstakingly put together.

B came into the room and sat on Kurt's bed to watch him. "Seriously Kurt, you look… just amazing. What's the occasion?"

This was the part where Kurt should say, “ _Oh, just out with a friend.”_ But he couldn't, not when B was looking at him with so much earnestness.

"Um… Well… Rachel set up a blind date for me," Kurt said, turning towards his full-length mirror and glancing at B through the reflection.

B's expression froze on his face for a second before it crumbled, and Kurt's heart clenched in his chest.

"Kurt, you… you have a date?" His voice sounded young all of a sudden, and Kurt turned around to face him. Never had he seen someone look so much like a kicked puppy. B was looking at Kurt with a round eye and sagging eyebrows, not even trying to hide his hurt.

Kurt felt like slime. Worse than slime. Like nasty black dirty gum stuck on the bottom of a shoe. Kurt was the worst person ever. It would be one thing if B liked him and Kurt didn't feel the same. Then he could sit down and talk it through with B, try to help him understand. But the truth was Kurt _did_ feel the same way, and he never really tried to disguise his feelings for B.

B probably thought something was going on between them, or that something was about to, and now Kurt was going on a date. A date he didn't even have the decency to tell B about when he'd made the plans days ago. Why was Kurt doing this to him? Why did Kurt have to have a crush on a _droid_?

"Yeah," Kurt said, looking down at the shirt in his hands. "He works with Rachel."

"Oh."

There was a long silence, and Kurt couldn't take it. He looked back at B, who shook his head minutely and then plastered a smile on his face. "That will be nice for you," he said cheerfully, but there was still something sad about it. "You don't go out with people enough, and if Rachel likes him, I'm sure he's great."

"Uh-huh," Kurt nodded, his stomach tying itself into knots, and his army of butterflies making him feel a little shaky.

"Kurt, what's wrong?" B got up from the bed, placing a hand on Kurt's arm.

"Nervous," Kurt said and it wasn't untrue.

"You have nothing to be nervous about. This date of yours is one lucky guy and he is going to figure that out immediately." B smiled at him and Kurt found himself blushing. They were both quiet for too long, B holding his arm and both of them looking into each other's eyes. B blushed a little as well, letting go of Kurt and stepping away, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.

"Thanks, B," Kurt said. He almost decided not to go, but he felt like he needed to see this through.

B was still smiling at him, but his eyes seemed watery. "I hope you have a good time," he said quietly, and Kurt had to turn away quickly, unable to take the tension that was almost palpable in the apartment.

B had sent him another one of those fake smiles before Kurt left. Kurt wanted to wrap his arms around B and kiss his cheek and tell him never mind, he’d much rather stay home with him.

But he felt like he had to do this, give this Elliott guy a chance, because everyone who loved him was so convinced it would be the best thing for him. So he shut the door behind him, trying to get B's hurt look out of his head, and he ended up at the restaurant much too early.

He started to thrum his fingers against the tabletop when he was pulled out of his musings by a voice calling his name. "Kurt? Kurt Hummel?"

Kurt looked up and his jaw dropped a little. Rachel had not been exaggerating. Elliott was extremely attractive. Dark, thick hair styled to perfection, pearly white teeth and blue eyes that sparkled with his winning smile. It took Kurt a second to remember that he should probably say something.

"Yes! I'm Kurt. Hi."

Elliott beamed at him and shook his hand before sitting. "Wow," Elliott said first thing. "Rachel wasn't kidding about you."

"You can't believe everything Rachel Berry says," Kurt stated with a sly smile.

"Well, about this she was right. You are absolutely stunning."

Kurt laughed nervously even as he felt his face heat up.

As the evening went on and they ordered and ate their food, Kurt had to admit Rachel had done really well. Elliott was outgoing and charming. He and Kurt shared a lot of interests. Elliot had even tried out for NYADA, but ended up at NYC when they turned him down. Everything about him was like ticking off a checklist of things Kurt wanted in a guy. Plus, he was really nice to look at.

In fact, Elliott was such agreeable company that Kurt hardly even thought about B… Really, B probably only popped into Kurt's head _a million times_ during the date. Elliott had a great laugh, but it wasn't B's gut-deep chuckle. He complimented Kurt, but it didn't make his stomach flip over the way B's compliments did. He was an interesting conversationalist, but it wasn't like sitting with B on the couch and poking fun at The Real Housewives. And his eyes were gorgeous, but it wasn't like having B’s sweet chocolate brown eye look at him.

"Rachel tells me on top of your many musical talents you also like fashion?" Elliott asked, and Kurt nodded.

"I think if I hadn't ended up in NYADA, I would have pursued design."

Elliott leaned forward eagerly. "I love that. I put together all of my Starchild costumes. They're probably nothing compared to what you do, but it's fun."

"Starchild?" Kurt asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, he's my stage alter ego. Dark, loud, sparkly."

Kurt laughed. "I can appreciate sparkly. I once bedazzled a whole tie just because I thought my outfit was too tame."

Elliott smiled brightly. "Well, you'll have to see me perform sometime, then."

"I'd like that," Kurt answered, and mentally kicked himself when his immediate next thought was, _I_ _wonder if I could bring B._

At the end of the date, Elliott kindly offered to walk Kurt home, and since he was enjoying Elliott's company, he let him. He even let him take his hand while they strolled down the street. Being with Elliott gave Kurt a nice fuzzy feeling inside. It was the perfect date.

It would have been the perfect date and Kurt would probably be deep into crushing on Elliott by now if it weren't for the sweet, delightful, handsome droid waiting for Kurt back home.

Elliott walked him all the way inside to his front door, swinging their hands between them. "I had a really nice time with you tonight."

"Same here," Kurt said honestly, and then Elliott glanced from his eyes to his lips and Kurt knew what was about to happen. He also knew he could stop it if he wanted to. He didn't want to. He needed this date to work if he was going to get over his little crush on B.

Elliott leaned in and Kurt could feel his breath on his skin, he let his eyes close and then Elliott's lips were on his own. Soft and easy, not asking more from Kurt than he was willing to give. When he pulled back and Kurt opened his eyes he saw Elliott smiling. "I'll talk to you soon?"

Kurt couldn't speak, so he just nodded. Elliott laughed and then spun around and walked down the hall. Kurt stood frozen in place for a long moment before he finally opened his door and walked back into his apartment. He was breathing quickly and his throat felt scratchy and he should be happy right now. He should be walking on air after a date like that, but he just felt heartbroken and a little frantic. He drew in a painful breath and realized he was about to cry.

He quickly looked over the living room, grateful it was empty, and then rushed back to his room. He threw himself on his bed and clutched a pillow across his stomach before big, hot tears started pouring down his face. He was shaking and crying and couldn't get his breath to even out. He squeezed the pillow tighter, wishing it was the firm, but gentle form of B in his arms instead.

He was such an idiot. He wasn't falling for B, he wasn't crushing on him. It wasn't just a physical thing because B was attractive. He was already completely head over heels for him, but so, so scared of what that would mean.

Kurt hadn't been alone in his room for too long before he heard a soft knock on his partially open door. "Kurt?"

Kurt tried to rein in his tears, but that just caused him to take in a deep shuddering breath, and even though he was lying on his bed with his back away from the door, he knew B had to see his shoulders shaking with tears.

B was quiet at the door for a moment, perhaps taking it all in. Kurt could perfectly imagine his little head tilt. Then he called Kurt's name again, and Kurt heard him rush into the room. The bed dipped and Kurt sat up, wiping his eyes and smiling a little wetly at B, who was suddenly next to him.

"Hey B."

"Oh, Kurt." B placed a hand softly on Kurt's cheek, drying his tears with a swipe of his thumb. "What's wrong?"

"Noth-nothing," Kurt hiccuped out, still trying to make his smile seem convincing. B watched him silently, and then his one good eye grew round and he stood up from the bed in a sudden burst of energy.

"What happened? Was it your date? What did he do to you?"

Kurt looked up at B in surprise. He'd never seen B wear the expression that was now on his face. His eye was narrowed and his eyebrows completely flattened into straight lines. He seemed to be clenching his jaw too.

"Did he say something? Did he… Did he _hurt you_?" B's voice came out as a low growl, and Kurt was too surprised to even answer him for a moment. His stomach did a little flip-flop though, and his smile became more genuine.

"No, B, no. Elliott was a gentleman, and a good date. It's nothing like that." He wiped the last of his tears from his cheeks as B sat back down next to him, placing his hand on Kurt's back and rubbing circles the way that Kurt did for him when he had a nightmare.

"Then what's wrong?" B asked, his expression softening as he gazed intently at Kurt.

Kurt's mouth and throat felt dry all of a sudden. He wanted to tell B what he was feeling, but he couldn't. He shrugged instead. "Would it be awful of me if I said I didn't want to talk about it right now?" His voice was getting scratchy with tears again.

B shook his head. "You don't have to talk about it."

Kurt bit his lip and then kicked off his shoes. He wanted to just lay down for a minute. He lay back on his side on the bed, glad to have B near him.

"Do you want me to go?" B's voice was so soft and so sweet it almost made Kurt burst out into tears again.

"No."

The bed shifted a little, and B lay down behind him, scooting in and then wrapping his arm around Kurt's middle and tugging him close. Kurt experienced the weird combination of butterflies in his stomach, happy ones this time, even as his chest ached. His whole body relaxed like melting wax as B kept Kurt in his arms. It didn't take long for Kurt to drift into a peaceful sleep.

When Kurt woke up the next morning, it took him a moment to remember why he'd fallen asleep still in his clothes from the day before. Once he did remember, a huge smile spread over his face. He sighed happily and turned over in the bed to say good morning to B. What he found, though, was an empty side of the bed. It made sense. B might have only stayed until Kurt fell asleep before going to his own room. He wasn't obligated to cuddle with Kurt all night, especially after Kurt had been out on a date with someone else. Still, Kurt couldn't help but feel disappointed.

He sat up in bed and stretched his arms before getting up to shower and get ready for the day. The whole time, he just kept thinking about his date and about B and how even though Elliott seemed great, he was somehow going to have to tell him things weren't going to work out between them romantically.

It was the weekend, so there was no school today and Kurt didn't have to work. He started thinking of things he and B could do together.

He left his room he found B in the kitchen leaning over a counter and reading the paper. "Good morning, B," Kurt said with a smile, the memory of being in B's arms making him feel pleasantly warm.

B looked up with a sweet smile of his own. "How are you this morning? Better?"

"Yes… I'm… sorry about last night. I know I was cryptic."

"Kurt, you don't have to apologize." B said sincerely. "I'm just glad you're okay. I was going to make you breakfast, but I wasn't sure when you were going to get up and I didn't want it to get cold."

Kurt watched B. Something was off. He sounded like himself, but he didn't seem to be making eye contact with him. "You know, I might just go get a bagel from the deli downstairs," Kurt said, trying to meet his eye but B's was focused on the counter in front of him. "I thought maybe today we could hang out together, go to the movies or the zoo or something."

"Actually, I'm working today," B said finally, looking up but only briefly. And where was Kurt's brain? Because B was very obviously standing there in his red and black diner uniform.

"Oh. I thought you had the day off? You don't usually work the Saturday I don't work."

B shrugged. "I called to see if I could get some extra hours."

"Why?"

"I don't know… It might be nice to help out with rent a little more."

"B, you don't have to-" Kurt said, worried about the strange mood B was in.

"In fact, I should get going," B interrupted, looking at the clock on the microwave. "See you this evening, okay?"

He walked past Kurt, who followed him to the living room, not knowing what to say. "Okay..."

Again, it was on the tip of his tongue to tell B why he'd been so upset the night before. _Going on that date made me realize how I feel about you, and I don't know how things can work out between us, but I know I want you._ Still, though, the words caught in his throat.

"I'll see you tonight then," Kurt said instead, and B shot him a quick smile before leaving the apartment. Something was absolutely off with him and Kurt couldn't help but think it was because of Elliott. Was B mad? Hurt? Jealous?

Kurt sighed and rubbed his temple, glad that the Smythe Expo was the upcoming week. He really needed to figure things out.


	10. Secrets & Smythe Industries - Part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: I'm posting this a little later than I thought I would, but I've been swamped with work and trying to finish up my other story and reading a lot of klaine fanfic... you know the normal. I should have the next part to this up ASAP though (I'm hoping that means tomorrow).  
> As always, thanks for reading and feel free to leave me comments. Reviews = Love.

The next week was the worst Kurt had had since coming back to New York. B seemed to stay late at classes every day and picked up as many extra shifts at the diner as possible. It was getting to the point that Kurt felt like he didn't even have a roommate.

In a desperate attempt to at least see B, Kurt decided he'd head up to the diner while B was working Friday evening and have dinner. They really needed to talk. Kurt was still holding on to how he felt about B, but he could at least let B know nothing was going on between him and Elliott.

He asked the hostess to seat him in B's section and she gave him a knowing smile.

Kurt looked over the menu nervously, even though he knew it by heart; it hadn't really changed since Kurt had worked here himself.

"Welcome to the Spotlight Diner," B said pleasantly as he approached Kurt's table. "Can I start you with-" He stopped mid-sentence when he glanced down and saw that it was Kurt sitting in the booth, smiling up at him.

"Hey B!" Kurt said, trying to calm his nerves. He felt like he and B had been fighting, even though that was far from true. They hadn't even seen each other enough recently to fight. B's smile wavered for a moment, and then he grinned at Kurt.

"Kurt, this is a nice surprise." But his artificial smile didn't make him seemed pleased at all. Kurt's stomach dropped. Had he really messed up so badly? Kurt hadn't told B about his feelings for him, but B had never said anything either, and now B was punishing him for going out with some other guy.

"Is it a nice surprise?" Kurt asked. "Because I feel like you've been avoiding me."

"I… I haven't," B said, his smile dropping, and Kurt didn't respond, but just kept watching his face, trying to read it. B sighed and stuffed his order pad into the big front pocket of his apron. Then he dropped down into the booth across the table from Kurt. "That was a lie," he admitted, even though Kurt already knew that.

"You have been avoiding me, then?"

B chewed on his bottom lip and glanced down at the table.

When B didn't say anything, Kurt continued. "Because of Elliott."

B looked up, and he seemed on the verge of tears. "I've been an awful friend, haven't I?”

Kurt reached across the table and covered B's hand with his own. "You're my best friend, B, and I know you're upset… and I know it's my fault, but…" Kurt shrugged. "I miss you."

"It isn't your fault," B said, voice quiet. "You didn't do anything wrong. I was just… I'm jealous." He drew in a breath and continued in a steady voice. "I'm jealous of Elliott because he gets to date you, but that is so unfair of me, and really, I just want you to be happy, Kurt. I want all the good things in the world for you." B's smile was a little wobbly, but it was the first real smile Kurt had seen from him all week.

"Oh, B," Kurt sighed as his heart ached in his chest. B had actually admitted he was jealous of Elliott, and that was as close as either of them had gotten to confessing their feelings. "I'm not dating Elliott."

B's eyebrows rose, making his eye patch bob on his face and Kurt smiled because he was just so adorable. "You aren't?" B asked in surprise.

"No."

"But you said he was a gentleman and a good date."

"Well, all that is true," Kurt shrugged. "But he isn't, he isn't…" _You_. "He isn't right for me. I think he and I will be friends. I've talked to him a couple of times this week and he is performing with his band next Friday. Maybe we could go to the show together?"

"You and me?" B asked as a smile bloomed on his face.

"You and me."

"I'd love that, Kurt."

"Good."

"I'm sorry I've been so... aloof this week," B said shyly, looking back down at the table. "I've missed you too."

Kurt squeezed his hand. "But we're good now, right?"

B looked up and nodded. "I should get back to work though."

"Of course. Um… Could I get that cheeseburger I like?"

B got up from the table and flashed him a genuine smile. "I think I could even wrangle some extra fries."

"Well, if you must." Kurt said with a laugh, feeling better than he had since his date with Elliott.

On Saturday, Kurt had arranged to take the day off so he could go to the Smythe Expo as early as possible. He had registered and gotten his welcome packet in the mail. And did it really matter that his name badge read Burt Hummel? He wasn't doing any harm. He just wanted to learn.

B was home, spread out on the sofa in gray sweatpants and a red t-shirt and flipping through an issue of Theater Mania. Kurt walked to the couch and lifted B's legs and sat down next to him, laying them across his lap. "Good article?" Kurt asked as B lowered the magazine to look up at Kurt.

"Yes, it has an interview with Aaron Tveit on his return to Broadway," he smiled. “You know, someday there will be an interview in here of new up-and-coming Broadway star Kurt Hummel."

Kurt's heart sped up and he smiled broadly. "Or maybe an interview with B. You could be like Cher or Ke$ha and just go by one name."

"I'll never be on Broadway, Kurt," B said softly, looking back down at the magazine.

"Why not? I've heard you sing and…" Kurt could feel himself blush a little as he thought of B's strong and warm singing voice. "You're really good."

"No-one is going to hire a droid for the stage. It would be like cheating. I only sing well because I've been programmed to."

Kurt's smile faded. "I don't know if that is true," he said quietly.

"Where are you off to?" B asked, looking over Kurt's suit and smoothly changing the subject.

"Oh, I have this event to go to today. I'll be home for dinner though; I could pick something up for us. Maybe that Indian place you like?"

"Sounds good."

Kurt moved B's feet again and hopped up from the sofa.

"Have a good day, Kurt!" B called as he left the apartment.

Kurt smiled and bit his lip as he walked down to the subway. He needed this expo. He was going to prove once and for all that B wasn't the way he was because of programming. He knew B was…different, Kurt just didn't know why he was different and that was the point of bluffing his way into this expo. Answers.

Kurt arrived at the Javits Center, straightening his tie and making sure he had his lanyard on. He walked to the preregistration desk and had no trouble getting through. They had no reason to believe he wasn't Burt Hummel.

"There is an opening session in the grand ball room at 6:00 pm," the woman at the desk told him. "Charles Smythe will be here himself."

"Great, thanks," Kurt smiled at her as he took his packet of information. From Kurt's research, it seemed to be a big deal to have Charles Smythe at one of these events. He had founded Smythe Industries, but had partially retired and left the running of the company to his son Sebastian.

Really though, Kurt wasn't counting on talking to the actual Smythes, he was just hoping to talk to the engineers about their elusive B line androids.

When Kurt walked into the main expo hall, he was stopped short by all that he saw. His jaw dropped as he took in the large open space. It was full of booths and stations and androids and things Kurt had never seen before. Just standing here, Kurt saw more technology than he'd even seen in one place.

An android walked up to him. She had clear skin so you could see all of her mechanics inside, but otherwise was wearing a stylish black dress and heels and jewelry, she had a tray in her hand. "Champagne?" she asked, and Kurt just shook his head. "Um... No, thank you."

It seemed like all of the servers were from different Smythe android lines and many droids were running booths as well. Heck, they could all be androids, and how would Kurt even know at first glance?

Kurt wasn't sure where to start. He opened the expo map and glanced at the names for all the booths and who was running them. There were all kinds of engineers presenting this afternoon. He scanned the list; software engineers, optical engineers, memory processor engineers, skin and covering engineers and designers, precision engineers. The list went on and on.

It was all a little overwhelming.

Kurt folded the map, took a deep breath and moved forward. If he wasn't here on a mission, Kurt would have let himself be distracted by all the mechanical wonders around him. It was a pity that his dad wasn't here; he'd be drooling over this. Kurt walked up to one display that had a man in a crisp midnight black suit running it. He was standing near a case of artificial eye balls.

"These are incredible," Kurt said, looking down at the eyes. B's eye looked every bit as real as these did, but as he started to read the specs on them he could see why buying replacement Smythe eyes had been out of the question for Burt. They were seriously impressive and probably seriously expensive.

"Can I ask you a kind of strange question?" Kurt said to the man, who gave him a smile and nodded.

"Of course, what can I answer for you?" the man said placidly.

"Have you ever heard of an android… losing its eyes? Or maybe having them stolen?"

The man's face didn't change expressions at all; he still looked at him with a mild expression. "All Smythe parts have a security upgrade. If by some chance your android did have part of it taken, you could track it."

"So it does happen? Android parts get stolen?" Kurt knew that had to happen, parts were expensive and could be resold, he was just starting with easy questions trying to get this man talking.

"Who wouldn't want a Smythe part?" the man said with the slightest of smiles. "But we have protections for our droids and their owners."

"Right," Kurt said, nodding. He wasn't sure what kind of information he was looking for, but this didn't seem to be helping.

"I see you've met Jeffery." A woman came up to Kurt's side, wearing bright red lipstick that matched her form-fitting dress and a bright smile. "I'm Candice Fisher." She held out a hand for Kurt to shake.

"I'm Burt Hummel," Kurt answered, taking her hand. "Jeffery?" He said, looking back at the man.

"Jeffery is one of our G line androids."

"Oh." Kurt said with a raise of his eyebrows as Jeffery turned to speak with someone else. "I had no idea."

"That's exactly what we like to hear." Candace said. "Most of our exhibits are manned by both a Smythe employee and an android. The trick is seeing if you can guess who is who." She leaned forward and spoke in a mock whisper. "There is a secret way to always tell the difference though; maybe you'll figure it out." She straightened back up and smiled again with dazzling white teeth. "Did you have question about our vision units?"

"Well, more a general question about androids having their eyes stolen?"

"Oh, that. You must have heard the stories."

"Stories?"

"You know, eyeless androids roaming around like zombies looking for their missing parts. Don't worry though." She said quickly at Kurt's shocked expression. "It doesn't happen like that. Yes, an android’s eyes are the most thieved part. They are extremely valuable and one of the only parts a novice mechanic might be able to remove without damaging the droid. So, yes, there is a black market for them, but… We track all of ours, which is one of the many reasons to buy Smythe. If a droid has its eyes taken, it immediately shuts down and an alert is sent to the owner and to Smythe Industries security. No zombie droids," she said with a laugh.

"Wow," Kurt said, his stomach dropping; he hated the thought of someone using B for scrap parts. It made him feel a little sick. "So then… if I had a droid with missing eyes, could you look them up?"

Candace lifted a brow and smiled at him. "I feel like I'm being tested." She nodded to a computer set up behind the booth. "Let's find out."

Kurt followed her and watched as she started typing on the flat clear keyboard. "I'm assuming you have your droid's serial number."

"Yes. It is B821."

"She stopped and turned back to him. "Oh, it only works if it is a Smythe droid, or did you use Smythe vision units on another manufacturer's android? Tsk, tsk." She winked at him. "If you have the serial number for the eyes themselves, I can look that up."

"No, he is a Smythe droid. B line."

Candice shook her head. "I'm sorry, Mr. Hummel, but Smythe Industries doesn't make a B line droid."

"You're sure? Maybe a line that never made it to market? Or for… testing? Or something?"

She shook her head again. "I'm sorry, I've never heard of it."

"Thanks anyway," Kurt said, disappointed, but there were still a lot of other people to talk to.

"Try Dr. Lemaire," Candice suggested as Kurt left the booth. "He has a display in the far left corner. It is big and impressive you won't miss it. He works in Smythe testing and research. If we did have a B line that didn't make it to market he might know. Plus, he is a genius, rarely leaves the lab it is a big deal to have him here with us today."

"Thank you." Kurt said gratefully, heading out and then turning back to Candice with his best flirtatious smile. "You couldn't give me a hint as to how to tell a droid from a human could you?"

Candice laughed good-naturedly. "It's a question, a question a droid never has an answer too. Good luck!"

Kurt mulled that over as he made his way to the far corner of the vast room. He stopped at a few more booths on his way, always asking about B line androids and always getting the same answer. "Smythe doesn't have a B line droid." He was getting a little frustrated. B was a Smythe droid. Why did no one in this company know about him?

He was also trying hard to figure out what question it was that a droid couldn't answer, but all the droids he came across were sharp and had answers ready on their tongue.

Finally, he made it to a large display in the back corner that took up three times the space other booths had. A crowd of people where gathered around listening to an older man, probably in his early 50s, dark-skinned and with graying temples. He was demonstrating some of the more advanced technologies Smythe Industries had to offer. Some of them not even available yet.

Kurt read a description of Dr. Lemaire in the folder he'd been given. "Android behavior specialist" and "android thought process expert" jumped out at him. Kurt looked back up at the doctor and chewed his lip nervously. This was it, someone who might actually have answers for him.


	11. Secrets & Smythe Industries - Part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: I am thoroughly enjoying reading your theories and some of you are really close to figuring it out, keep 'em coming! I know you are all anxious for answers and I hope this chapter doesn't come as a disappointment to you because we just aren't all the way there yet. However, things are moving forward for sure. Thanks for your support for this story, I've had a stressful week and hearing from you has made it so much better. Anyway, enough of my ramblings… here is part 2!

Kurt seemed to have reached Dr. Lemaire at the beginning of a demonstration. He watched as people gathered around and the doctor cleared his throat and spoke over the crowd.

"I need a volunteer." Dr. Lemaire had a think French accent and a commanding voice. Immediately people quieted down and many raised their hands. "Who would like to help me with this presentation?"

Kurt looked around and then stuck his hand in the air. It would be a way to meet Dr. Lemaire.

"Maybe you, mademoiselle?" Dr. Lemaire pointed out a middle-aged woman from the front of the crowd. She wore a trim gray skirt and jacket, not a hair out of place or a smile to be found. All business.

Kurt watched as Dr. Lemaire explained that he'd like her to sit in a chair, and was it okay if he strapped her in? He would let her out at a moment's notice if that was what she wanted.

The woman agreed and Dr. Lemaire loosely strapped her arms and legs down and then put a metal cage-like device on her head, making sure she was comfortable before going to stand by an android that the headgear was attached to by an assortment of wires. The droid was a simple silver thing with a smooth metal face and no personal details.

"This is Trudy," the doctor said, indicating the motionless and seemingly lifeless droid. "Ms. Martin, you are in charge of Trudy," he said to his volunteer "She does what you tell her to do."

Kurt inched forward to see everything.

"So I just give her orders?" the woman asked.

"No, no. There is no need to speak to Trudy. You tell her what to do by _thinking it_. For example, I want you to think about lifting your arm."

"I can't. It is strapped down." Ms. Martin said.

Dr. Lemaire gave her a tight smile. She wasn't very imaginative. Kurt had already caught on to what the Doctor wanted her to do. "Just _think_ about lifting it, you can move it as much as you can in the straps if you need."

The woman closed her eyes and nodded in understanding, Trudy nodded too, people around pushed forward to see better. Then, without a word from the volunteer, Trudy lifted her arm.

"Did she move that droid?" someone from the crowd asked. "Just by _thinking_ it?"

"Indeed," Dr. Lemaire answered with a smile. "Now, Ms. Martin, please think about spinning around."

She nodded. Trudy nodded as well, as if linked to Ms. Martin, and then started spinning around. The crowd clapped for her.

"How do we know that the droid isn't just following the verbal commands you're giving your volunteer?" someone near asked Kurt.

"Excellent question," Dr. Lemaire said, as if he'd been expecting it.

He walked over to Ms. Martin and unstrapped her arms and gave her a pad of paper. "I want you to write down a list of five or more actions that you are going to think of in order and then we'll strap you in again and see if _without anyone saying anything_ Trudy follows your lead."

"Very well," the woman said, taking the pad and thinking for a moment before writing on it and then trying to hand it back to the Doctor.

"Oh no, I shouldn’t even see it." He nodded for the man who'd asked the last question to come up and Ms. Martin gave the paper to him. Then Dr. Lemaire strapped her back in. Ms. Martin closed her eyes and the droid started to move. It lifted one foot and then another.

"Lift both feet, one at a time," the male volunteer read.

Then Trudy spun around again.

"Spin for the audience," he read on, and the crowd gasped in delight.

Trudy stopped and clapped her hands together.

The man laughed and read from the list. "Clap your hands like a good little droid."

Trudy did each of the next four things Ms. Martin had written, and when she was done Dr. Lemaire unstrapped his volunteer to a swell of applause.

Kurt was thoroughly impressed. He'd never seen anything like that before. The android had been completely controlled by thought alone. It was remarkable, but something about it made Kurt nervous. He didn’t like the thought of anyone having that kind of control over B. He shook off his worry though; B wasn't that kind of droid anyway.

"This technology is of course something still undergoing testing," Dr. Lemaire said. "But you never know if it might end up in one of our next lines of droids. Smythe Industries, always advancing!" He smiled at the crowd as they applauded him. Kurt joined in.

"Now, Monsieur Smythe himself will be making a presentation in the grand ball room in only half an hour," Dr. Lemaire quieted the crowd. "I suggest heading in that direction to make sure you get a seat." He smiled charmingly as everyone started to disperse. Kurt lingered though, waiting until there were few enough people that he could make his way up to the doctor.

"May I help you?" Dr. Lemaire asked as he started to shut down his equipment.

"That was an impressive demonstration," Kurt said, hoping to break the ice.

"Thank you, monsieur. We are still years away from releasing anything like this and the technology has limitations, speaking for example," he laughed.

"She can't speak?"

"Not on thought command yet. Still, it is rewarding to see people's excitement."

Kurt nodded and glanced at the simple droid. "So without the thought control technology, is Trudy on the market?"

"Oh no, she's just a test android, no one would even want her really. She's just for presentations."

"Ah," Kurt said, nodding and trying to be nonchalant. "So she's a B line droid then?"

The doctor looked up sharply from what he was doing. His dark eyes widened and his eyebrows shot up, but only for the briefest of moments before he schooled his expression and cleared his throat. "No, our test androids aren't part of any line."

"Oh." Kurt put his hands in his pockets, heart pounding because he was sure Dr. Lemaire knew more than he was saying, but Kurt didn't want to show his excitement or scare the doctor off. He looked around at the display and tried to go for a breezy demeanor. "So what androids _are_ in the B line?"

"Smythe Industries doesn't have a B line, monsieur," the doctor answered. "If you can tell me what you're looking for in a droid, I could match you with the best line. Or better yet, let me introduce you to someone in sales. They are better versed in these matters anyway." He shrugged. " _Je ne suis pas important_. I just work in the lab most of the time." He was clearly trying to get rid of Kurt, turning his body away and busying himself around the display.

"No, I don't think anyone in sales can help me," Kurt said, not leaving the doctor alone like he obviously wanted. "Because no-one here seems to know anything about Smythe B line droids."

"That's because there is no such thing," Dr. Lemaire said firmly. "Now hurry along to the grand ballroom, you're missing Monsieur Smythe's _présentation_." And with that, he picked a box up from the ground and started to walk towards a door in the back labeled "Employees only”.

"Wait, please," Kurt said, dropping his disinterested façade. This was the first person he'd met he was sure knew something about B. "He is about this tall," Kurt lifted his hand to indicate a few inches shorter than himself. "Dark curly hair?"

The doctor spun around, his eyes glancing down to Kurt's lanyard and Kurt immediately turned it around to hide his name… or his dad's name at least.

Dr. Lemaire took a step towards him and lowered his voice. "I don't know _anything_ about that," he snapped. "And neither should you. Whatever you _think_ you know, just forget it. If you don't, you'll be doing more harm than good."

And with that he turned, unlocked the door with a keycard and disappeared behind it. Kurt tried the handle, but it had locked behind the doctor.

Kurt stood stunned for a moment; he had certainly hit a nerve. What in the world could this big secret be that a Smythe employee would so adamantly deny it? He felt he had more questions now that when he started. He was also starting to feel apprehensive about this whole thing. He shouldn't have given Dr. Lemaire that information about B. It might be better at this point that no-one knew that Kurt had one of their _imaginary_ B line droids.

Kurt sighed and rubbed his forehead. All of this was giving him a nervous headache. He turned and slowly made his way into the grand ballroom, a knot tying in his stomach as he stood in the back to hear Charles Smythe's presentation. He thought today was going to be fun, learning about advanced technology, finding out more about B. Instead the day had just been exhausting, being around all of these droids that were so machine-like it was discouraging, not to mention that apparently the B line was some kind of big secret. He didn't like that. What did it mean about B?

If Kurt hadn't been so distracted thinking about B, he probably would have found Charles Smythe's presentation fascinating, but as it was all he could do was turn over the doctor's words in his head. _You'll be doing more harm than good._ What did that even mean?

"He's kind of a bore, isn't he?" a voice said at Kurt's side, and Kurt was pulled out of his musings to see a young man standing next to him. He was wearing a very obviously expensive suit that made him seem taller and broader than he probably was and he was sipping a cocktail from the bar in the back of the room.

"Who?" Kurt asked, taken off guard.

"Mr. Charles Smythe. How can he take such a stimulating subject and make it seem so dull?"

Kurt turned back to the stage; Mr. Smythe was talking about advanced mechanics and making androids look more human like than ever.

"I find it interesting."

"Really?" The young man smirked at him, his green eyes dancing. "Is that why you are standing back daydreaming?"

"I wasn't-"

"It's fine." The man turned towards a waiter and snapped his fingers. The waiter approached and the young man handed him his emptied glass. "Bring me a scotch and a…" He turned towards Kurt.

"Oh, nothing for me, thanks."

"And a Manhattan for my timid friend here."

The waiter nodded and went off to fill the order. Kurt wondered if he was a droid too. He didn't have the transparent skin the droid servers in the expo hall had, but he still could be.

Kurt turned back to the man at his side. "You didn't have to do that." He had to admit the young man was intriguing, even if he did give off an annoyingly haughty vibe.

"You're attractive and seem to be alone here," the stranger said. "I'm happy to buy you a drink." He winked.

"It's an open bar," Kurt said with a raised brow.

"Ah yes, but someone is still paying for it." The stranger held out his hand. "Sebastian Smythe of Smythe Industries," he announced proudly. "Today I bought _everyone's_ drinks."

Kurt smiled, excitement building in his chest. Here he was trying to find out information from engineers who wouldn't talk to him and the _head of the company_ just walks up to him and starts flirting.

"Really?" Kurt said, shaking his hand. "You paid for all the drinks? Because I think my hefty registration fee helped cover one measly Manhattan."

Sebastian laughed as the waiter returned with their order. Kurt took the drink with a thank you, wishing that if the waiter _was_ a droid Kurt could think of a question to stump him, the question no droid could answer. He sipped on his drink politely but grimaced, he didn't like whisky.

"I usually do the presentations at these things," Sebastian said, glancing at his father on the stage. "But Charles thought it was important that people remember he is still involved in the company. I promise if I was up there you'd be paying attention. I'm less talk, more splash."

Kurt smiled. "Well, it is lucky for me that your father is speaking today and you are back here."

Sebastian looked Kurt up and down in a way that made Kurt a little uncomfortable. "I'd say I was the lucky one, Mr…?"

"Hummel," Kurt said, but didn't give his first name. The presentation was winding down, and Kurt felt that if he was going to ask Sebastian any questions, _now_ was the time to do it. His heart was in his throat though, given Dr. Lemaire's negative reaction. Kurt didn't want to mess this chance up.

Kurt was just getting up the nerve to say something when Sebastian spoke again.

"So… am I going to have to keep flirting with you or are you going to ask?"

"Ask what?" Kurt said, surprised.

"I know you've been roaming around the expo asking about a nonexistent line of androids."

Kurt's jaw tightened. _Great,_ he was being shot down before he even had a chance to ask anything. A waiter passed and Kurt placed his barely touched drink on his tray. "It isn't nonexistent," Kurt said resolutely. "I know the B line is real."

Sebastian turned to fully face him and his affable expression was replaced by something dark. "You have no idea what you are saying. Now, I don't know if you are a reporter out of his depths or a spy from the competition but I assure you there is nothing to be learned here." Sebastian glowered at him, but Kurt held his ground. " _Stop_ poking around about this… this _B line_ or Smythe Industries will have to take legal action. Do you understand?"

Kurt gulped down his nerves; he was too close to learning something to back down now. "I just want to know what makes them different," Kurt pleaded, feeling his chance to learn anything slipping away. "What makes them so special?"

Sebastian took a menacing step forward. "This is a waste of your time. And more importantly, a waste of mine. There is _nothing_ to be gained here." Sebastian's eyes shone with anger, or maybe tears. "The B line, if there was such a thing, isn't _special_ , it was the most useless endeavor we've ever _wasted hope on_." Sebastian's fists were clenched and he was shaking with emotion.

Kurt gasped at Sebastian’s intensity and Sebastian seemed to realize he'd said too much. He rolled his shoulders and tried to relax his stance. "If you repeat anything you imagine you've learned today I'll deny it. Now _drop this_ and remember, no matter who you are, my lawyers are better than yours."

Sebastian glanced past Kurt and snapped his fingers. Kurt turned to see a couple of security guards making their way over to them.

"I can see myself out," Kurt said, his pulse racing and his heart hammering in his ears. He didn't give Sebastian or the guards a chance to disagree. He just headed out of the ball room and quickened his steps towards the exit.

Kurt was holding his breath, tension tight in his body. He was almost at the front door when he heard someone call behind him. "Oh, Mr. Hummel!" He turned to see Candice Fisher hurrying to catch up with him. He looked around but there was no sign of the guards or of Sebastian Smythe.

"You remember my name?" Kurt said suspiciously as Candice approached him.

"Only because you actually asked interesting questions," she smiled, and Kurt glanced behind her. Still no security guards coming from the ball room.

"I have a Master's of Science in Robotics Technology, and you'd be surprised how many times a day I answer, ’Yes, yes, these eyes come in all shades’”, Candice smiled, and Kurt took a deep breath. She didn't seem to know that Kurt had been poking around all day or that he'd just been asked to leave by the head of her company.

"Right," Kurt smiled back. "That must get old."

"You aren't leaving already?"

"I'm afraid so. Nice to meet you though." He took another step towards the door, but then stopped. "Wait, what is the question a droid can never answer?" He needed to get out of here, he was shaking and more than a little edgy, but this was something that had been bugging him all day.

Candice's smile grew, and she motioned for an android at the front desk to come over. The droid looked middle-aged and inconspicuous, one of those droids you might buy if you wanted them to blend in.

"Hello," Candice said to the droid. "What is your name?"

"Roger," the droid answered pleasantly.

"I'm Candice and this is Mr. Hummel," Candice smiled brightly. "What is your job, Roger?"

"I'm an L line droid who is helping with registration and lost badges."

"Okay, and normally what do you do? When not at a conference?"

"I'm an office droid; I assist Mrs. Dower in the New York office."

"Oh, very nice," Candice replied.

Kurt liked how kind she was with the droid, not condescending like many people were. He kept glancing behind her though, ready to sprint for it if security came looking for him.

"Do you like that job?" Candice asked the droid, and Kurt turned his attention back to them.

"It's my job, miss."

"If it wasn't your job, what would you want to be?" Candice asked, shooting Kurt a look.

Roger looked at her curiously. "It's my job, miss."

"I know, and I bet you're fantastic at it or Mrs. Dower wouldn't have brought you here today. But if you could do _anything_ , if you had the choice, _what would you want to be_?"

"I…" The droid looked nervously between Candice and Kurt. "I… would be an office droid."

"Yes, but I'm saying if your owners didn't care and they gave you the freedom to be and do whatever you wanted," Candice pressed. "What would you want to be?"

The droid looked utterly confused and just repeated. "I would be an office droid."

Candice smiled at him sweetly and placed a hand on his shoulder. "How lucky for you, then. Thank you, Roger, I won't take up any more of your time."

The droid nodded and walked back to his station.

Candice turned back to Kurt, who was staring after the droid. "Even our most top-of-the line droids can't answer that."

Kurt looked back at her. "You mean the question is 'What do you want to be?’" Something about that gave him an uneasy feeling.

"Yes," Candice answered. "You know how some people are always worried that droids are going to have an uprising and take over the human race?" She rolled her eyes and Kurt smiled at her. He had heard that before. "It isn't possible. In order for the androids to take over they have to _want_ to. They'd have to want something bigger than what they are. It's a failsafe," she explained. "If a droid doesn't want to be anything, then how could they be ambitious enough to take over anything?"

"Right," Kurt nodded, feeling a little queasy. He thought about B. What did B want to be? He'd turned down the idea of Broadway just that morning. Was it because, like all droids, he couldn't picture himself as anything he wasn't told to be?

"Droids have no ambition. No selfish or altruist motives. They want to do the job given to them until a new job is assigned to them and then they want that," Candice continued. "So to tell the difference between someone _real_ and a machine, just ask them ' _what do you want to be?_ ' and watch the droid struggle to even understand the question."

Candice smiled at Kurt, obviously pleased with her explanation.

"Oh." Kurt's stomach was twisting; he suddenly didn't like this conversation. He glanced back up and saw a few security guards looking in his direction. It was time to leave. "Well, that is very interesting," Kurt said. "Thank you, Candice, but I… I have to go." He sent her a grateful smile and headed out the door.

Once outside, Kurt took a deep breath, suddenly needing to be home. He needed to see B. After a day of talking to almost lifeless droids and being threatened by Sebastian Smythe himself, he just wanted to get back to his apartment and remind himself that B was different. He _was_ different. B was real.

_Wasn't he?_

Kurt hailed a cab and tried to calm down. He told himself he was only worked up from his confrontation with Sebastian, but he knew it was also from watching that droid, Roger, unable to think for himself.

B wasn't like that; he wanted things. That was one of the first traits Kurt learned about him, with B keeping that sweet list of things he wanted to do. He wasn't like other droids.

"He's _not_ like other droids," Kurt said to himself as he wiped his wet eyes.

Kurt got out of the cab 20 minutes later, on his street, feeling more and more anxious. He paid the driver and grabbed his phone from his pocket, dialing B's number. Was B just as limited as all the machines Kurt had seen that day? Maybe Kurt had worked things up in his mind, making B into what he wanted him to be.

"Hi, Kurt!" B answered happily after only a couple of rings.

"Hey, B," Kurt said, standing outside of their apartment, too nervous to go in. "How… How was your afternoon?"

"Good. I did a lunch shift at the diner and then went to see a movie with some of the other wait staff."

"That's nice," Kurt said, his throat hitching with the tears he was suppressing. "I have… I have kind of a strange question for you."

"Okay," B said brightly, and Kurt could just picture the smile on his face. It made his heart hurt.

"Um… If you could be anything you wanted, what would you be?" Kurt tried to keep his voice steady, but it came out a little shaky all the same.

"What would I be?" B asked, and he sounded so confused that Kurt had to lean against the side of the building for support.

"Yes, if you could choose _anything_."

_Please, B, please, be who I think you are. Have an answer._

"Well..." B said slowly. "There are some things people wouldn't like droids doing…"

"Forget about that," Kurt said quickly. "Don't let the fact that people might judge you stand in your way, what would you want to _be_ if none of that mattered." Kurt could hardly get out the words at this point, he was so close to breaking down.

B was quiet on the other end for a long moment, and each second that passed made Kurt's heart feel like it was shrinking smaller and smaller in his chest.

"You said something about me on Broadway this morning," B finally answered. "And I think I'd love that… But I don't know if that's the ultimate thing I'd want to do."

"No?" Kurt asked hopefully.

"I think I'd like to write music, the kind people hear on the radio. I'd want to make music that made others happy." B was sounding more and more excited as he went on. "When people heard one of my songs, I'd want them to know they weren't alone. I'd want to make art and… and _help_ people you know?" B sounded giddy with the idea. "That's what I'd like to be. Not a mechanic droid in a shop, or a waiter at a diner. I mean, I'm very grateful for those opportunities, but if I could be _anything_ I'd want to help people through music."

Through B's whole speech, Kurt felt like he couldn't breathe. He covered the huge smile that spread on his face with his hand and tipped his head back against the building letting out a joyful laugh.

"Kurt? Are you there?" B asked.

"Yes," Kurt said, breathy with laughter, happy tears making their way down his face. "I'm here. And I think that is the most beautiful thing I've ever heard, B." He wiped his cheek; his grin so wide it hurt.

"Are you okay, Kurt? You sound funny."

"I'm fine. I'm great! I'll be home in moments." Kurt turned to unlock the front door. "I forgot to get dinner!" Kurt said, still laughing a little and he probably sounded crazed right now. Kurt couldn't care though. B was real. Of course he was.

"We can order something," B answered. "Just come home."

"I am," Kurt answered before hanging up. He stuffed his phone in his pocket and rushed up the stairs to the apartment, letting himself in and quickly shrugging off his jacket.

"Kurt?" B came around the corner with a smile. "You were close."

B's hair was in wet, tight ringlets on his head. He must just have showered. His eye was bright and his cheeks were rosy. He wasn't wearing his eye patch, and the skin around his eyes crinkled as he smiled at Kurt. It was such a relief to see him after the day Kurt had just had.

"Were you calling from outside?" B asked, but Kurt didn't have any words right then. He just rushed forward, throwing his arms around B's neck and pressing his lips against B's.

Kurt hadn't planned on kissing him, but now that he was, it felt like the best idea in the world. He felt B stiffen for a short moment before he relaxed; hands coming up to softly rest on Kurt's hips. Kurt slid his lips against B's and B sighed, leaning into Kurt.

Kurt took that as a good sign and parted his lips a little to fit them against B's, who slowly and ever so softly started kissing him back. Kurt's heart leapt and his stomach flipped and he tightened his hold on B, bringing him in closer as their lips worked together.

Kurt had kissed his share of guys, especially after coming to New York, but none of those kisses had been like this. Sweet and tender and with so much emotion Kurt felt like crying all over again. His body fit perfectly against B's body, and as he tilted his head to kiss B deeper, B moved so that the angle was just right. The slick slide of their lips together was making Kurt dizzy, and he pulled back, needing air to clear his head.

B was standing there looking limp, his kiss-red lips parted and his eyes closed. Kurt couldn't pull his gaze away from him. B was so beautiful and good and Kurt was _so_ lucky.

Kurt unwound his arms from around B and cupped both of B's cheeks with his hands and smoothed a thumb under his still closed eyelid. "Are you still with me, B?"

B's eye fluttered open and he just stared at Kurt.

"B? Are you okay?"

" _Kurt."_ He breathed. _"_ You _… kissed me_."

"Yes, I did. Is that… okay?"

"Yes," B said, and he seemed to shudder slightly."Very much... _yes_."

Kurt smiled at him. "Then is it okay if I kiss you again?"

B's eye widened and he nodded his head.

Kurt leaned in, bringing their lips together again in what he thought had to be the world's most perfect kiss. B didn't just stand there this time. He lifted his hands to grip Kurt's arms, kissing him passionately and letting out a soft moan that made Kurt's heart soar.

Soon they were moving backwards until Kurt's back hit the front door, and B parted his lips, granting Kurt access. Kurt wrapped his arms around B's back, breathing him in and feeling B tremble against him. Kurt tugged on B's bottom lip with his own, letting their breath mingle together and he sighed and pressed his chest as close to B as he could. Kurt felt warm and happy and _relieved_.

He should never have been worried. Kurt _knew_ B. He had just momentarily forgotten what he'd known about B from the beginning; B was different and special. And even though Kurt still had questions, as he pulled back and looked B in the eye and saw B smile at him and look a little loopy with happiness, Kurt knew that B was _real_ and Kurt had no regrets about falling for this wonderful man.


	12. Kisses & Conversations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Did someone ask for fluff? Because here is some fluff. TW for very brief mention of blood and some disturbing dreams.
> 
> Thanks a so much for reading! xoxo

Kurt woke up with a happy smile on his face, and as he remembered why he felt so good, his smile only grew. He kicked off his covers and hopped out of bed, more than ready to get his day started.

He'd kissed B last night.

The Smythe Expo had been a towering disappointment, but going home to B and finally having the nerve to do what he had wanted to do for so long made up for any frustrations. He'd kissed B and B had kissed him back.

Kurt slipped on a robe and then padded down the hallway. B's door was partially open, so he peeked in to find him sleeping soundly. Kurt let out a sigh as his heart did a little somersault. He could just stand there and watch B sleep, but that would probably count as creepy, so Kurt continued down the hall and to the kitchen.

Kurt got out some fruit and eggs and started making a fruit salad to go with his scrambled eggs. He kept thinking back to last night, kissing B and B being so responsive and joyful about it. They'd both settled down on the couch and ordered Thai food after that. Kurt had meant to talk to B about all that he'd been feeling and maybe find out what B thought about all of it as well, but instead they just ended up making out on the couch until Kurt finally said he needed to get to bed.

Kurt would have loved to just stay with B all night, kissing and holding him, but the truth was things had gotten pretty hot pretty fast and Kurt thought he should probably put on the brakes. He didn't want to move so fast that it ended up hurting their relationship in the end.

Kurt was lost in thoughts of B and chopping up some strawberries when he accidentally sliced his finger. He yelped and drew his hand back, knife clanging to the floor. He immediately went to run his finger under water, relieved that it didn't look like the cut was very deep.

"Kurt!" He turned to see B hurrying into the kitchen. He was wearing long flannel pajama bottoms and a T-shirt, and his hair was curly and crazy, sticking up all over. "Are you okay? Did I just hear you shout?"

"Just a cut," Kurt said, holding up his finger and noticing that it was still bleeding.

B's eyebrows shot up and he quickly rushed past Kurt, opening the cabinet over the microwave and pulling out the little first aid kit. "Here, let me help,” he said, holding Kurt's hand back under the cool stream of water before ever so gently cleaning the cut and putting on some soothing Neosporin and then wrapping a band-aid tightly around it. He was intent on his work the whole time, looking at Kurt's finger with a furrowed brow as Kurt watched him, taking in his long lashes and dark curls and the way his lips turned down in a little pout as he was thinking.

When B looked back up at him, Kurt knew he was smiling like an idiot.

"You're certainly happy about a cut finger," B teased, rubbing his thumb across the back of Kurt's hand.

"Maybe it's the loss of blood," Kurt joked, but B's face fell, growing serious. "B! No, it's just a cut," Kurt hurried to assure him. "I'm fine."

"Humans are so fragile, Kurt," B said softly, kissing Kurt's palm before letting it go. Kurt wished he hadn't. "Skin and bones and blood." He worried his bottom lip a little. "You're breakable."

"I'm stronger than I look," Kurt said, stepping closer to B and wrapping his arms around his neck. "No need to worry about me."

B smiled brightly, his face flushing a little. "Are you going to kiss me again?"

Kurt arched an eyebrow, "Unless you kiss me firs-" He was cut off by B's lips capturing his own, and Kurt smiled into the kiss, loving the feel of B so close and so sweet.

B pulled back with a smile. "I'll finish breakfast for you," he said, stepping away from Kurt and turning to the food Kurt had gotten out. "What kind of eggs do you want?"

"Don't be silly," Kurt said grabbing B's arm and pulling him to the counter before smoothly pushing him down on a stool. "You do too much cooking for me considering you don't even eat much." Kurt scooped the fruit into a bowl and turned the stove on to start his eggs.

"I like doing things for you," B said, and Kurt turned to smile at him. B sat with his elbows on the counter and his chin in his hands watching Kurt as he cooked.

"Do you want anything?"

"No, thank you," B answered, his eye glued to him. B didn't say anything again until Kurt was done cooking and had come to sit by him at the counter. "So are we going to… talk about yesterday?" B asked as Kurt chewed a bite of fruit salad.

Kurt swallowed and nodded. "I guess we should." Kurt didn't know why he suddenly felt nervous, but his stomach tightened a little. What if they wanted different things? Kurt wanted a relationship with B and he thought that was what B wanted too - he hoped that was what B wanted too.

"Why did you kiss me?" B asked, cheek still resting in his propped-up hand. He looked casual and completely at ease with talking about this, and it helped Kurt relax.

"Honestly? I've wanted to kiss you for a long time."

B smiled at that. "You remember the day you let me try ice cream for the first time?"

"Of course. You loved it so much I thought you might pass out."

"That's because ice cream is amazing, Kurt," B said with mock seriousness before smiling shyly and looking away from Kurt's face. "Um… Anyway… You had a little bit of ice cream on your lips and you licked it off and I've… I've wanted to kiss you ever since." B admitted, his eye shining and his cheeks rosy.

"B, that was right after we met."

"I know. I've been waiting."

"Waiting for what?"

"For you to want it too," B explained, sitting up straighter and looking at him. "I wasn't sure it would ever really happen. I mean… I'm just an android and you're… _wow_. But then we became friends and I thought if you could be friends with a droid, then maybe, _maybe_ I could keep hoping. And then you wanted me to come to New York with you." B shook his head as if he was still in disbelief about that. "For the last few months, I thought that you might have started to feel about me the way I felt about you… But then…" B's voice drifted off and Kurt nodded in understanding.

"Then I went out with Elliott."

B gave Kurt the smallest of smiles. "I was trying very hard to be happy for you."

"B," Kurt said, reaching over and placing a hand on top of one of B's. "I've had a crush on you since we met and it's only been growing since then. And now you're my best friend and I'm… Well," Kurt smiled, feeling his own face heat up. No one had ever made Kurt feel so shy yet happy at the same time. "I'm kind of crazy about you." He looked up again, needing to get this part right. "You’re special, B. I've never met anyone like you, but…"

"But I'm an android," B finished for him, still smiling but seeming a little sad.

"Yes. And I've never looked at you like other droids - you aren't like other droids - but I have to admit… I was scared."

"Scared?" B repeated so softly it gave Kurt goosebumps. "Scared of _me_?"

"No. Never. Never scared of you. Just scared of... of falling for you and not knowing how that would work out."

B was quiet for a moment, and Kurt sat watching him and hoping he'd explained that the right way.

"So you went out with a human."

"And the whole time I just wished he was you."

B nodded and rubbed the back of his neck. "I… I don't know how this is supposed to work any better than you do, Kurt. I mean… I'm a machine and you're… you are so very human."

Kurt licked his lips nervously. "I don't think we have to have all the answers right now. I just... I want to be with you, B, and… why don't we just do it? Why don't we just try and take things as they come?"

"Burt won't like it."

Kurt shook his head. "My dad likes you and he'll just want me to be happy. He'll support us if he knows that's what I really want."

"What about your friends? They won't think it's strange?"

"I think Mercedes has been rooting for us from the beginning. I can't see Sam caring one way or another. Rachel… if she has any concerns, it will only be that I don't get hurt."

"I would _never_ hurt you," B said adamantly.

"I know that, B," Kurt said, placing a hand on his cheek and leaning in to peck his lips softly.

B's whole body relaxed with Kurt's kiss, and a genuine smile returned to his face.

"Any other questions?" Kurt asked looking into B's eye.

"What happened yesterday?" B asked. "You came home and… Where were you? What made you… _What happened_?"

"Oh," Kurt said, feeling a little nervous again, not knowing how B would react to what he found out at the expo yesterday, or what he hadn't found out really. "I went to this expo. A Smythe Industries Expo."

B's eyebrows shot into the air. "You... You what?"

"Um…" Kurt's nervous feeling started to grow. "I went to the expo hoping to find out more about the B line and what makes you different than other droids."

"Kurt." B stood up from his stool, raking his fingers through his hair. "How could you do that and not tell me? Don't you think I would have wanted to go with you?"

"I don't know if it would have been a good idea for you to be there…"

"Don't you _understand_?" The volume of B's voice was rising and he shifted on his feet in agitation, but he didn't seem mad really, just confused and hurt and that was actually much worse. " _You_ have questions about me? You wonder why I'm different? Don't you think I have those very same questions? And more?" B ran his hands down his face as his voice shook, and Kurt couldn't do anything but watch him while guilt stirred in his stomach.

"I _know_ I'm different. I don't fit in anywhere. I'm not like any other droids I've met and yet I'm not human. Don't you think that keeps me up at night? I don't belong _anywhere,_ and you went to the one place that might have answers and you didn't even tell me!" B was breathing heavily and there were tears in his eyes.

Kurt's heart sunk. God, he had been so single-minded in his pursuit of answers that he hadn't even thought about what this would all mean to B. "I'm so sorry," Kurt said, wishing he could think of anything to make it up to him. "I’m so, so sorry. I didn't think. I… I thought I was protecting you, but of course you want answers and, god… B…"

B had backed away from the counter a little, and Kurt got up and walked towards him, hoping B wouldn't move away from him. Kurt reached for B's hands and felt a small measure of relief when B didn't flinch away, but instead held Kurt's hands back. "I'm _so_ sorry," Kurt repeated. His stomach was tight with guilt. How could have he been so selfish to think this only mattered to him? "I should have told you. I should have… B… I messed up. I'm sorry."

B let out a long breath and nodded, squeezing Kurt's hands. "I know… I didn't mean to get so upset." He looked up from their hands to smile at Kurt, even though his brows were still bunched up in anxiety. "Did you... learn anything?"

Kurt stepped closer. B had settled down almost immediately when Kurt apologized, but he still felt awful. He was searching his mind for a way to make it up to him. It didn't help that Kurt didn't really have any good news to tell B. "I asked about you… or about the B line. Most people there had never even heard of it."

"I've tried looking it up online," B nodded. "But there isn't anything to be found."

Of course B had looked it up on his own. What had Kurt been thinking, that B was just going through life without a care in the world, without a thought as to who he was or where he came from? Kurt had been so shortsighted. "Oh, B…" Kurt sighed, and the forged on. "Well, the Smythe employees weren't any more forthcoming. One doctor seemed to know what the B line was, but he got worked up when I asked about it and told me to forget about it before _literally_ running away from me."

B tilted his head in thought. "What was his name?"

"Dr. Lemaire. Does that mean anything to you?"

B thought for a moment but then sighed and shook his head. "I'm afraid not."

"I also met Sebastian Smythe," Kurt said timidly, worried now about B's reactions.

" _You did_? Kurt, that's amazing. He had to know something."

"I'm sure he did, but he… B… I don't know why the B line is a secret, but he was angry that I'd been asking questions. He threatened me with lawyers and made me leave."

B was quiet, opening his mouth and then closing it again. He let Kurt's hand fall and walked to the counter to sit back down on a stool. Kurt joined him. "What does that mean?" B asked, his voice sounding hollow, and Kurt hurt for him. "Maybe the B line hasn't come out yet… somehow?" B suggested. "And they are trying to keep it secret until the big release?"

Kurt held his breath. He didn't think that was the case after all Sebastian said, but he _really_ didn't want to repeat all Sebastian had said either.

"No, that's not it," B continued. "I can tell by your face."

"Sebastian was… upset. He didn't seem to…" Kurt started, and then stopped thinking about Sebastian Smythe's harsh words.

"Kurt, it's okay. Just tell me what he said."

"Sebastian Smythe said that the B line was a waste of time…" Kurt said quickly, getting it over with. "He said it was a disappointment... or _a waste of hope_ I think were his exact words."

Kurt waited anxiously as B took that information in. "Oh." B's voice was so small it felt like a grip around Kurt's heart.

"I'm sorry, B."

After a moment B nodded and then shrugged. "I guess… I mean, Burt found me in bad shape in the middle of a dumping ground. Obviously, it wasn't happy events that lead me there. I guess… I guess I shouldn’t be surprised?"

" _B_ ," Kurt leaned forward, placing his hands on B's knees and bumping foreheads with him.

"Besides, I guess it's all okay," B continued, slowly smiling. "If it means I ended up here with you."

Kurt smiled too, feeling lighter now that B wasn't as upset. "You _aren't_ a disappointment. You aren't a mistake," Kurt assured him, hoping B understood how much he meant these words. "And I am so _so_ lucky my dad found you, because my life is better with you in it."

B's smile brightened at that, and he used Kurt's closeness to give him a soft kiss. "Um… Does this mean we're dating?" B said, with a sudden change of topic.

"Yes, absolutely," Kurt answered, hoping they could both put all the messiness of the Smythe Expo behind them.

Kurt was so happy for the next week that his days seemed to blend together. Going from school to work to home, B was in his thoughts almost constantly. Kurt skyped with his dad again and tentatively told Burt about him and B. His dad was mostly quiet about it, but in the end he did what he told Kurt he would. He supported him and said he wanted Kurt to be happy, and if there was anything he could do to just let him know.

Kurt also called Mercedes because he had a feeling she'd be excited for them. He wasn't disappointed; Mercedes loved the idea of him and B together and wondered what had taken them so long. Kurt hadn't told Rachel yet. He loved Rachel and knew she loved him too, but sometimes she was a lot to take, and he just wanted to be happy for a little longer before having to explain himself to her.

Kurt was so happy he got up every morning with a smile and even sometimes woke himself up at night laughing. So when he woke up at a quarter to 2:00 am one night, it took him a moment to understand why he was awake. When he realized what it was, he got up and out of bed immediately.

B was awake down the hall.

He knocked softly on B's door as he slipped in. Every other time Kurt came to B's room after a nightmare, B was already calming himself down and it didn't take too much from Kurt to get him smiling again. Tonight was different. B was sitting up in bed, shaking all over; he seemed short of breath, and as soon as Kurt came in, B weakly called out his name.

"B, it's okay," Kurt said, hurrying over to his side as B wrapped his arms tightly around Kurt and buried his damp face in Kurt's neck. "Oh B, it was just a dream. You're okay." B hadn't had a nightmare in over a week, and Kurt had hoped they were gone. It seemed they weren't.

"Are you okay?" B asked, still clinging to Kurt.

"Me? Of course I am. B? What's wrong?" B's clinginess and constant tears were worrying him. B pulled back and took a long shaky breath.

"I… The um… The dream was different this time."

Kurt brushed some hair out of B’s face. The dream had always been the same: a group of men attacking B, with him on the ground as they kicked and hit him. It always made Kurt sick to think about it, but it seemed tonight the nightmare had changed, and by B's reaction, it had gotten worse.

"What happened?" Kurt asked softly, afraid to hear the answer.

"I was a droid," B answered, and took another calming voice. "I've never even thought about it before, but every time I've had this dream I was human, and I know I was because… There was blood and…" He cleared his throat. "This time, though, I was metal and circuits and wires and they were still beating me up."

"Oh, B."

"No, Kurt, that wasn't the worst of it. I could take it better as a droid, but _you_ were there and… and…" His voice broke and his eyes filled with tears. "Kurt, they were hurting you this time and I couldn't stop them."

Kurt bit his lip and then couldn't help leaning in and kissing B lightly, glad when he heard B sigh a little more peacefully. "I'm not hurt," Kurt said. "We are both in our apartment and safe. No-one is going to hurt us."

"They might," B said.

"Why? Why do you think anyone would hurt us?"

"Because you're dating a droid," B said looking into Kurt's eyes. "Because even if your dad and Carole and your friends are okay with it… the rest of the world won't be."

"B…" Kurt shook his head, trying to find an argument against that, but he knew B was right. He'd grown up with prejudices for being a gay kid in Ohio, and though things had been mostly better since moving to New York, he knew dating a droid was just another huge social taboo. It could very well upset people.

"I won't let you get hurt because of me," B said resolutely. "Maybe we shouldn't… Maybe we shouldn't be together."

"I decided a long time ago not to let other people dictate my future or to let prejudices keep me from being happy," Kurt said quickly. "You know, there are plenty of people who wouldn't want us together because we are two guys. Would you back down because of that? Because we're gay?"

"No… I…"

"And it is the _same_ , more unusual, sure, but I’m not going to let small-minded people keep me from being happy, and you, B?" Kurt cupped B's face in his hand. "You make me happy."

"But…"

"But nothing," Kurt said, almost angry, not at B, but at the world for making B feel this way. "Do you want to be with me?"

"Yes. So much."

"Then that's settled. We get to live our lives the way we want to, B."

B was quiet, seemingly mulling over Kurt's words, but at least he wasn't crying anymore. It physically hurt to see B cry. "Kurt, I'm not human," B finally said. "How can you even… Why would you risk so much for someone who isn't even a real person?"

"But you are."

"I'm just a machine."

"Okay…" Kurt said with a heavy sigh. "You're a machine, but you aren't _just_ a machine. You have real emotions, right?"

"Yes."

"And you really care about me?"

"Yes, Kurt, always."

"And you have real wants and desires and plans for your life. To me that makes you real. I don't know… what makes humans… _humans_. I can't say for sure that I believe in an afterlife or anything like that, but if humans have souls and that's what make us people, then I believe _you_ have a soul too B. I don't know how, I don't have all the answers, but you are so much more than a machine. You're… _B,_ and I…" Kurt paused, tears clogging his throat as he looked at B's face staring back at him intently. "I'm falling in love with you, B. That alone should prove you are so much more than _just a machine_."

B was perfectly still as Kurt's words hung in the air. Kurt could feel his heart hammering against his chest waiting for B to respond. Then, slowly, a smile grew on B's face and he started laughing, well, half laughing and half crying, before he dove in, kissing Kurt and pulling him close. Kurt smiled and kissed him back, toppling him over until Kurt was leaning over him and trying to kiss away all his worries.

Kurt pulled back to look down at B, wide-eyed, blinking up at him and his body pliant beneath him, waiting expectantly for what Kurt might do or say next. "Don't say we can't be together, B."

B was breathing heavily again, but for new reasons, and he lifted his hand to gently trace his fingers down Kurt's cheek. "You are the most beautiful person I've ever known," B said quietly, reverently. "Machine or person… No matter what I am, I know I'm so lucky to be with you."

Kurt felt happy tears scratch at his throat as he grinned down at B. Kurt kissed him again softly and then curled up next to him. "Can I stay here tonight?"

"Please," B said, wrapping his arms around Kurt.

Kurt sighed happily and rested his head on B's chest. There was no heartbeat there, since B didn't have one, but if he listened closely, he thought he could hear a gentle whirring of gears, and Kurt smiled, letting the sound lull him to sleep.


	13. Legal Action

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" B asked as he smoothed his hair down with a comb. He'd gelled his curls down flat to his head this evening, and while Kurt liked them a little curlier, he'd noticed that B like to have control over his hair when he was feeling nervous, so Kurt didn't say anything.

"I think it’s a great idea," Kurt answered, walking over to B where he was standing by the mirror and tugging on his blazer a little to smooth the shoulders out. Kurt couldn't help the fuzzy feeling in his chest when he looked at B all dressed up and looking devastatingly handsome like an old-time movie star.

B turned around to face him, his expression grim. "I don't know, Kurt…" he said hesitantly.

""B, I want to go out with you," Kurt noticed the small twitch of a smile on B's lips, like he couldn't help but be happy even when he was trying to be serious.

"But you dated him and now you are taking someone else to his concert?"

"We didn't _date._ We went out once. And Elliott is cool and he wanted me to come to the concert even when I told him I was bringing someone. B, this will be fun."

"It's just that... I'd hate to be in his shoes," B said quietly.

"How so?"

B looked at Kurt and finally smiled. "Having to watch you with someone else would be awful."

Kurt chuckled and leaned in to wrap his arms around B's neck."Well, you don't have to do that, and Elliott isn't crushing on me. He'll be fine." Kurt kissed him lightly and B went all loose against him. Kurt hated to use kisses to win the discussion, but he'd promised Elliot they'd be there and they needed to get going.

"Okay," B breathed, wrapping his arms around Kurt's back. "Unless you want to stay here and keep doing this." It was B's turn to kiss Kurt now, causing Kurt's brain to shut down for a moment. And _damn_ , B could apparently play this game too.

"I pr- promised," Kurt said as B continued to plant kisses on his jaw. And then suddenly he was gone, dropping his arms and backing up.

"Then we should leave before we forget that we're supposed to," B said with a teasing grin, and Kurt rolled his eyes before grabbing B's hand and heading out of the apartment.

Elliott and his band _Friday Night Frights_ were playing at a bar. It wasn’t a big venue, but it was a popular place where people actually came to hear the music. They IDed Kurt at the door and then looked at B expectantly.

B looked nervously between Kurt and the bar's bouncer. "I… Um… I won't be drinking," B said.

"We still have to ID," the man said, gesturing to the sign on the door stating that no one under 21 was permitted. Kurt's heart dropped. He hadn't even thought about this.

"Sure," B said, pulling out his own ID, which stated he was an android. The man looked it over, and Kurt started making plans for if he said B couldn't get in. They'd leave quickly and go… get dinner and a movie. Something to distract B so he didn't feel bad. Kurt berated himself. He _should have thought of this._ Would they even let a droid in?

The bouncer studied the ID and then laughed. "Yeah, I guess you wouldn't be drinking," he said, looking at B. "Shit. I would have never guessed you were a droid. I need your hand."

B held out his hand and the man stamped it with a big blue "A". Apparently androids were allowed in, but they had to let everyone know they were androids.

"Thanks," B said to the man with a smile, and slipped his ID back into his wallet.

"We can just go?" Kurt said. He didn't want B to feel uncomfortable.

B shook his head, and then he casually took Kurt's hand and led him into the bar. If it bothered B that he had that A stamped on his hand letting everyone know what he was, he didn't let on.

"I'm sorry, B," Kurt said once they were inside.

B just shrugged. "It's okay. I was only worried he wouldn't let me in and I'd end up ruining your evening."

Kurt leaned over and gave B a kiss on his cheek. "You're sweet, you know that?"

B beamed at him and brought their hands up to kiss Kurt's. It made Kurt want to giggle.

They were lucky enough to get a small table off to the side and Kurt ordered a drink. Soon Elliott, or rather Starchild while he was on the stage, came on with his band. Kurt stood and cheered for them, and B stood next to him, happily clapping. _Friday Night Frights_ was really good; Elliot was a whole other person on stage. It made Kurt wish the band he'd tried to start his freshman year at NYADA had worked out. He never could get consistent members though.

"Kurt!" Elliott greeted him with open arms after his set, and Kurt immediately gave him a hug.

"Wow, Elliot, you're amazing."

"After four years in NYU, I better be," Elliot joked, and then the turned to B with a winning smile.

"And you must be Kurt's roommate B, right?"

B was standing quietly nearby with his hands in his pockets, but he smiled at Elliot and reached out a hand to shake.

"B is actually my boyfriend," Kurt corrected him, and he enjoyed the pleased look on B's face.

It was in that second that Elliot took B's hand, looking down and seeing the big glaring A stamped on it.

"Nice to meet you, Elliot."

"Oh," Elliot said, scrunching his brows as he and B shook hands. "Nice to meet you too." He let their hands fall and Elliot looked confused for a moment. "Do you know what that A stamp is for? I don't think you meant to get that," he said, speaking loudly enough to hear him over the next band that was playing.

B looked down to the ground, stuffing his hands back in his pockets and clearing his throat. "Yes, I know what it is. It wasn't a mistake," he said in a soft voice that was just barely audible over the music.

"Oh," Elliot repeated, looking at Kurt.

"B's a droid," Kurt said confidently, hooking arms with B. "And he's my boyfriend."

Kurt could see B folding into himself, trying to become as small as he could, but Kurt stood up tall and looked Elliot straight in the eye. He wasn't ashamed of B and he needed his boyfriend to understand that.

Elliot pressed his lips together and nodded. "Well, cool!" he said and then smiled before motioning for them all to sit. "You two drinking? The next round is on me since you came out to see my show." And as easy as that, the matter was dropped.

B sat next to Kurt and Kurt could see him physically relaxing. Kurt got a second drink while B ordered a water. Everything from there went smoothly. Elliot was just as charming, though not as flirty, as ever and was equally nice and talkative to both Kurt and B. They stayed late, talking about school and music, and as B relaxed, he added more and more to the conversation. He loved music and could play several instruments, so he had plenty to add. Once it was eventually time to leave, Kurt was feeling happy and loose and just a little buzzed from his drinks. He held onto B as they walked down to the subway station.

"That was fun!" Kurt said excitedly. "Did you have fun?"

"Yes, I did," B said, smiling. "I like Elliot."

"Me too," Kurt said. "Not as much as I like you, but he's a good guy."

"I'm... I'm sorry if I embarrassed you," B said as they stopped on the platform and waited for their train.

"You didn't. Why would you say that?"

"Because you had to tell him you were dating an android."

"That doesn't embarrass me, B," Kurt said warmly. "I'm not ashamed of dating you, I'm proud of it. And if Elliot had had an issue with it, that would have been his problem, not ours."

B smiled and leaned into his side. "You're amazing, Kurt."

Kurt sighed happily, letting the warm feeling that B gave him grow inside his chest.

The next morning, Kurt was glad he hadn't drunk too much because he had to get up early to get to the theater. He was the assistant director for this play, and apparently the director had a new vision and wanted to rework most of the background sets. Kurt hoped he could talk him out of it, seeing as seeing as their budget was insufficient for that.

B was off to school soon. He didn't have classes during the weekend, but one of his teachers had asked if he wanted to be part of a special singing group, and he was going in to practice.

Kurt stopped B as he was heading out of the door, pulling on his collar until Kurt could press a kiss against his lips.

"I had a good time last night."

B blushed a little; he still did, no matter how many times Kurt kissed him. "So did I. I was thinking, though… I'd like to take you out some time, just the two of us, you know. We haven't been on an _official_ date yet."

Kurt's wide smile tugged at his cheeks. "I would love that." He kissed him again. "I'll see you this afternoon, okay?"

"Okay," B said with a sweet smile. Kurt straightened the bowtie that he was wearing, which matched his eye patch perfectly - it was a look that no one but B could make seem so lovable - and then B was out the door and on his way to practice.

Kurt was busy at the theater all day, looking over set design ideas and trying to convince the director that they could make changes on a smaller scale. When his phone rang, he was grateful for the chance to step away. He didn't usually take calls at work, but it was his dad and he tried to always pick up for his dad. He answered the call while walking to a quiet place behind stage to talk.

"Hey Dad, what's up?"

"Kurt, we need to talk," Burt said seriously, and Kurt was immediately put on edge. This wasn't good; he could tell it wasn't good. The last time he and his dad had to have a serious talk was when Burt told him he had cancer. _He came to New York to tell me that though, he wouldn't call with bad news._

"What's wrong, dad?" Kurt asked breathlessly.

"You want to explain to me why I received a letter from Smythe Industries stating that they are prepared to take legal action against me?"

Kurt was stunned silent for a moment. That wasn't what he was expecting to hear. "Wait… What?"

"It says that I am 'harboring sensitive stolen tech' and I am asked to relinquish my 'improperly acquired technology' or they will take legal action."

"Oh, god." Kurt was still trying to catch up with what that meant, but his stomach plummeted as the words echoed in his head.

"Kurt, I'm assuming this is about B since we don't have anything else from Smythe Technologies, but why are they sending me this? We didn't acquire B _illegally_."

"Dad… I…" Kurt's throat felt dry. He’d been so _stupid_ , asking questions, making a stir at the expo. They knew he had one of their droids and now they wanted him back. "They want B," Kurt said weakly, even though that was what his dad had just told him.

"I know, but droids left in The Heap are up for grabs. You throw something away and it is public property. So why do they think we stole him and how the heck do they even know we have him in the first place?"

"I… Dad, I…" Kurt bit his lip to keep himself from swearing. This wasn't good. "I went to this Smythe Expo. I used your credentials; I was just trying to get more information about B. I didn't think he was going to be so top secret and I never expected this."

"Top secret?" Burt repeated, obviously confused. "Kurt. Start from the beginning and tell me what's going on."

Kurt closed his eyes and took a deep breath, preparing to tell his dad the whole story, when his phone beeped with another incoming call. Kurt glanced down to send it to voicemail when he saw that it was coming from B's school. That in itself made Kurt nervous. If B wanted to call him, why didn't he just use his cell phone?

Kurt's heart shuddered in his chest, and he lifted the phone back to his ear. "Dad! I have to go. I'll call you back."

Burt tried to say something else, but Kurt was already hanging up and frantically answering the call from B's school.

"Hello? B?"

"Mr. Kurt Hummel?" a female voice said from the other end.

"Yes."

"Mr. Hummel, we need you to come down here to the annex _right away."_ The woman spoke quickly and her voice sounded strained.

Kurt pressed a hand up against the nearest wall to hold himself up; he knew he wasn't going to like anything he heard next. "What's going on?"

"Mr. Hummel, there are some men here saying that your android belongs to them? They are going to take him away."

Kurt's heart sped up and he pushed off from the wall and started running to the theater exit. "You can't let them do that," Kurt said anxiously. "I'm on my way... Just, _please_ _don't let them take B_."

"I'm trying, but they are insistent. _They brought a police officer_ ," she whispered into the phone.

 _This couldn't be happening._ Kurt was outside waving down a cab, but he was still a good half hour away from B's school. "Let me talk to them!" Kurt pleaded. "They can't have B."

Kurt's hands were shaking as he gripped his phone and climbed into a taxi. He knew it had to be Smythe Industries that had come for B, and if the secrecy of the Expo was anything to go by, Kurt was terrified that if they took B, he would never see him again. That thought made Kurt feel ill and he leaned forward, his head resting on the back of the seat in front of him as he told the cab driver to _hurry_.

The woman from the school was trying to get someone on the phone for Kurt to talk to, but she came back a few moments later sounding even more upset, possibly crying. "There isn't anything I can do! They won't listen to me… and B was standing his ground saying he wouldn't leave with them, and they just _shut him off_."

"They aren't allowed to do that!" Kurt said, thinking of how scared B must have been, people trying to take him away and then forcibly shutting him down. _How dare they!_ "I'm coming. Just… _stall them,_ " Kurt said. His breath was short and he felt close to panicking.

This was all happening too quickly. B had been safe and happy just that morning. What did Smythe Industries even want with B? And what would they do with him once they got him?

"Please, no." Kurt swallowed nervously as he willed the cab to go faster. "Don't hurt him."

The woman on the phone said she had to go, voice high and panicked, and as she hung up, Kurt lost his one link to what was going on with B.

The taxi driver made good time getting to the learning annex, but as Kurt rushed out of the car and paid him, he knew that it was going to be too late. He hurried into the school with his heart in his throat. "Where's B?" he said, skidding to a stop and asking the first person he saw, a young woman standing behind the welcome desk.

Her eyes were red-rimmed and she looked upset. "Are you Mr. Kurt Hummel?"

"Yes. Please. _Please_ tell me B is here." They couldn't really just have taken B away, kidnapped him in broad daylight. How could something like this happen?

The young woman bit her lip and didn't answer. Instead, she pressed a button on her phone. "Ms. Huang?" she called over the intercom. “Mr. Hummel is here."

Kurt knew Ms. Huang was B's favorite teacher and the one that had invited him to be part of the singing group. She came up front a minute later, face pale and posture stiff.

"I’m so sorry, Mr. Hummel-" she began, but Kurt cut her off.

"No! You need to tell me where he is. I trusted him to you here at this place. Don't you have security? People can just walk in here and take someone that doesn't belong to them?" Kurt was trembling, his throat tight with suppressed tears.

Ms. Huang sighed. "That's the thing, though. They had a warrant and a police officer and a lawyer saying that B was property of Smythe Industries. Believe me, we didn't want them to take him. He was so upset, and we all think very highly of B around here… but it was out of my control."

"No, no no." Kurt turned away from her, covering his mouth with his hand and trying to breathe evenly. He pulled out his phone and dialed B's number. It only took a moment for it to start to ring. He spun around when he heard B's ringtone.

Ms. Huang held out the phone. "I'm so sorry."

Kurt reached for the phone as it continued to ring. A picture of Kurt was displayed on B's screen. Kurt hung up and stood in shock. This had happened. They had actually taken B.

"Did they… Did they hurt him?" Kurt asked, looking up at the teacher.

"B refused to go with them. He said he was the property of Burt Hummel and living here in New York with his permission," she explained. "He wouldn't go willing. When they found he was too strong to drag off, they just shut him down. I don't think they were interested in hurting him though, just in getting him away from here."

"Right," Kurt nodded, voice rigid. He couldn't stay here and talk about it any longer. Apprehension was pulsing under his skin, and without another word he quickly walked back outside.

Kurt leaned against the side of the building and tried to think of what to do next. He needed to call his dad back, Burt would be worried, but he didn't know if his dad would be able to do anything to help though. And time wasn't in Kurt's favor; somehow he knew that to get B back, he had to move fast, before Smythe Industries _did_ something to him. God, what would they do to B?

Kurt swallowed back tears. He had to focus. He had to find B. No one at Smythe Industries would help him; anyone at the expo that had known about the B line had been hostile. The only person there that Kurt remembered pleasantly was Candice, and it wasn't like she would risk her job to help him...

"I just have to find a way into their offices," Kurt said to himself as he looked up Smythe Industries on his phone. He made himself count his breathing as he tried to calm down and form a plan. Kurt made two quick phone calls before hailing another cab.

 _I'm coming B, I'm coming,_ Kurt thought to himself as he gave the cab driver an address. _Please be okay._


	14. Plans & Photographs

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Hello one and all! Sorry it took me a little while to get this chapter up, life... it is crazy sometimes you know? I am working on the next part now and hope to have it up in a couple of days depending on how busy I am with work. Thanks for all the love, it means a lot to me!

Kurt was doing everything he could to pull himself together and try to appear calm as his taxi pulled up in front of the Smythe Tower. Kurt stepped out onto the sidewalk and looked up at the tall windowed skyscraper, reflecting the blue of the fall sky.

Smythe Industries.

He closed his eyes as the view and his pressing panic started to make him feel dizzy. They could have taken B anywhere, but this was the Smythe New York headquarters, and Kurt couldn't think of anywhere better to start. He straightened his tie, grateful he'd dressed nicely for work today and pulled in a deep breath as he walked through the front doors.

The building was immaculate, windowed walls so clean it looked like you could walk through them, and the floor shined to show your reflection. Kurt went straight to the reception desk and put on a smile.

"Mr. Hummel, here to see Candice Fisher?"

The receptionist smiled pleasantly back. "Is Miss Fisher expecting you?"

"Yes, she is."

"Please sign our visitor's log," she said, spinning an electronic pad on the counter to face him and then calling Candice to make sure he had clearance to go up. Kurt's hand shook as he signed the pad, nerves crawling in his stomach. This was as far as his plan had gotten really.

Once he'd left the learning annex, he'd called his father and told him a very rushed and very fearful version of what had happened to B. His dad had sworn under his breath and told Kurt to wait, not to do anything rash while Burt contacted their lawyers. B was legally theirs, and Smythe Industries had to return him. Kurt was grateful that his dad was going to look into the legal side of things, but he knew he had to do more. Smythe Industries would know if they had illegally seized B and if they had any plans for him they weren't going to waste time.

Kurt shuddered as his imagination filled in the blanks as to what those plans might be. If Sebastian Smythe had thought the B line was such a waste, then why would he want B anyway? Unless… Unless he was going to…

Kurt had to suppress a whimper as the receptionist got off the phone and turned her attention back to him. "Please wear this," she said, handing him a visitor's badge. "Miss Fisher is expecting you. 26th floor." She nodded towards the elevator bank.

"Thank you," Kurt said, but it barely came out. He cleared his throat and tried again. "Thank you… And just out of curiosity, on what level is Sebastian Smythe's office?"

The receptionist raised her eyebrows.

"I mean, I would think he'd be at the top. How many stories are there?" Kurt asked, as if he wasn't looking for anything more than a bit of trivia about the building.

"His office is on level 59," she said, leaning in. "There are 60 floors all together; the top floor is the Smythe penthouse."

"Wow," Kurt said, feigning admiration. "That's the life, isn't it?"

The woman smiled, and Kurt headed off to the elevators. The one that would lead him to Candice's office only went to floors 16-30. He had no idea how he was going to make it up to Sebastian's floor. There had to be security, and even if Kurt somehow got up there, there was no saying Sebastian was even in – but he had to try.

Kurt smoothed his hands anxiously against his pants as he rode up in the elevator. It wasn't an accident that the letter about Smythe Industries taking legal action arrived in Ohio the exact same day they seized B in New York. They had to have plans for B that they wanted done before Kurt or his dad could retaliate.

Kurt took another deep breath; whatever they had planned for B, Kurt  _would_ get him out before it happened. He told B he wouldn't let anyone hurt him and he'd meant it.

Kurt stepped out on the 26th floor to be greeted by another receptionist behind a glass and plastic desk.

"I'm here to see-" Kurt started but stopped as Candice came from around the corner.

"Burt!" she called, and Kurt smiled at her. She had been his first call standing outside of B's school, saying how interesting he'd found the expo and if she had time he'd love to stop by and maybe get an insider's perspective about a career with Smythe Industries. If he'd been pushy about seeing her  _right then_ , Candice had been too polite to say anything, and now she seemed genuinely pleased to see him.

"Thank you for seeing me on such short notice," Kurt said, shaking her hand.

"Your excitement is contagious, and actually, I could use a break, maybe show you around?"

Kurt agreed and while Candice gave him a tour, he tried to seem interested, but his mind was going a mile a minute. Every second that passed, all he could think of was the vague, alarming and terrible things that could be happening to B. He smiled and nodded politely as Candice spoke and he made up answers when she asked about what kind of position he might be looking for.

"So do you get to rub shoulders with the Smythe's very often?" Kurt asked.

"Oh, not really," she said. "Some people do, but that's a little above my pay grade. I don't even have clearance for any floors above 35." She pulled the badge she wore on her hip up by its retractable cord. "Orange clearance. To go up to 59 you have to have blue. To go up to 60? You have to be a Smythe," she said, winking.

"Lots of top secret things up top?"

"Oh, you know. Any company whose main business is developing new technology can't be too careful."

"Of course." Kurt's stomach was flipping over. This was taking too long, and he couldn't think of a way to actually see Sebastian besides demanding to be taken to him, and that would more than likely end with Kurt being thrown out of the building.

He was just starting to despair when a man stopped Candice to ask her a few questions. He could tell by Candice's posture and responses that this man was her superior. He was probably in his mid-fifties, with silver hair and an alert expression. Most importantly, he wore a blue badge at his waist.

Kurt watched him walk away and then turned to Candice. "Could you point out the restrooms?"

She directed him where to go and he slipped away, trying to follow the direction of the man with the blue badge. What was he going to do? Tackle him for it? Try to pickpocket him? There was no way this was going to work, he was going to get thrown out, Candice would get in trouble and in the end… In the end,  _he'd lose B_.  


Kurt clinched his fist and kept his eyes on his target. He refused to lose B. This had to work. The man stopped in a kitchen area and started to make himself a cup of coffee with their coffee machine. Kurt braced himself and walked forward, pretending to be waiting for the coffee machine as well.  _Oh god, how was he going to do this?_

Kurt smiled at the man and thought about trying to make conversation. He was close enough that he could reach out and grab the badge if he wanted, he just didn't know how to do it stealthily. It wasn't like he'd ever done something like this before.

The man glanced at him and nodded, and then his gaze shifted. Kurt looked to see what had drawn the man's attention. A young and very attractive woman had just entered the room and Mr. Silver Fox's eyes glued to her. He practically rubber-necked as she walked by. Kurt held his breath, reached for the badge, unclipped it and slipped it into his pocket before the man's cup of coffee was even full.

_Oh my god._

Kurt put his coffee cup back with the others, turned and hurried out of the room as fast as he felt he could without drawing attention to himself. He got to the elevators and he felt sick with nerves. How long would it take the man to figure out his badge was stolen? Could Kurt be arrested for this?

Kurt slipped the badge out of his pocket and looked at it. He didn't care. B was more important than anything else right now.

Kurt would have felt bad for ditching Candice after she'd been so nice to him, but all he could think of was B, alone and scared somewhere while tests were being done to him or worse, he was being reprogrammed.

He got into an elevator that went up to 59. He swiped the blue badge and held onto the rail in the elevator for support. If they'd already done something to B, would Kurt be able to get him back to the way he was before? How was he even going to convince Sebastian Smythe to give B back? His chest felt hollow, thinking back to kissing B goodbye that morning. What if that was the last time he ever saw B? Why had he gone to the expo in the first place? Everything was good. They were happy. Kurt rubbed at his eyes, willing himself not to cry.

Once the elevator doors opened on 59, Kurt realized yet again that he had no idea what to do from here, but he'd made it farther than could have been expected. The 59th floor was darker than what Kurt had seen of the building so far. With wood paneling and an old-fashioned interior, it was impressive and intimidating. Kurt nodded to himself, making up his mind; there was no more time for subtleties.

He marched past the assistant that sat outside an office labeled  _Sebastian Smythe,_ ignoring his protest for Kurt to stop. Kurt pushed the door open, hoping against anything that Sebastian was in.

The door closed behind him and Kurt stopped.

Sebastian Smythe sat behind a large desk in a ridiculously huge office. Two of the four walls were widows and the view of the city was enough for Kurt to feel a little bit of vertigo. Sebastian himself sat with his feet up and looking far from the clean-cut, confident, powerful executive Kurt had seen at the expo.

His jacket was off and tossed over a nearby chair, his tie as well. The first couple of buttons of his shirt were undone, showing his t-shirt underneath. His hair was tussled and his eyes blood-shot. He was sipping out of a rocks glass with some kind of brown liquor in it.

Sebastian looked up at Kurt with not even the tiniest inflection of surprise as his assistant stormed in after Kurt.

"I've already called security, Mr. Smythe," he said.

Sebastian lazily waved a hand at him. "No need. Not yet at least. He can stay."

"But Mr. Smythe-"

"Reese, please leave Mr. Hummel and me to talk."

The young man glowered at Kurt, but otherwise did as ordered, shutting the door behind him.

"Where is he?" Kurt said with his hands balled into fists as he glared at Sebastian Smythe.

"How did you get up here?" Sebastian said, still sitting with his feet crossed on his desk and seeming nonplussed by Kurt's evident rage.

" _Where is B_? What have you done with him?" Kurt took a step forward.

"Oh god, you named it B? _Clever_." He rolled his eyes and moved his feet down to sit up a little. Kurt's heart flared with anger and he marched up to the desk.

"You can't just take other people's androids!" he seethed. "You  _have_ to give him back. We are already consulting lawyers-"

Sebastian held up a hand and interrupted him "My lawyers are better, remember?"

"You  _stole_  him."  


Sebastian slammed his glass down on his desk, causing the alcohol to slosh over the side. "I can't  _steal_  something that already belongs to me!"

Kurt wasn't intimidated by Sebastian's sudden anger. Instead, it stoked his own. "He doesn't belong to you!" Kurt yelled back, his breath shallow. "We found him in a dump. He was discarded. He belonged to The Heap and then we purchased him. You can't have him! Now..." Kurt straightened his shoulders and enunciated his next words. ""Were. Is. My. Droid?"

Sebastian stood, his face flushed red with anger, but then he started to laugh… He was laughing so hard he had to hold his stomach, and it made Kurt want to throttle him.

"What… What are you doing? What's the matter with you?" Kurt asked, watching as Sebastian tried to regain his composure."

"You got it from a place called _The Heap_? Your droid is  _literally_  trash, and here you are fighting for him against someone vastly more powerful than you." He wiped his eyes. " _Trash,_ " he repeated with a chuckle.

Kurt felt sick. He pressed his lips together and breathed in through his nose before speaking again. "B isn't trash."

"Oh god, stop calling it that," Sebastian said, reaching for his glass and taking a swig. "Listen. That droid belongs to  _my_  family. If anything is found on him that belongs to you, we'll be happy to return it. His clothes, that ridiculous plaid eye patch. Oh! His eye, that isn't mine. After we’ve decommissioned him, I'll personally make sure you get the pieces that belonged to you."

Kurt felt wobbly as Sebastian's words swirled around his head. "Decommissioned?" he echoed softly, that one word sounding like an end to everything.

"He is stolen property," Sebastian explained. "Now, I'm willing to believe  _you_ didn't steal him…it. Didn't steal  _it_  yourself. We can probably even reimburse you for your troubles."

"What do you mean by ‘decommissioned’?" Kurt asked, feeling weak.

"Mmm?" Sebastian finished off his drink before answering. "In this case, it means wiping it clean, breaking it down and destroying the parts," he answered nonchalantly.

Kurt felt ill. "No. No no no." He doubled over, one arm slung over his stomach and supporting himself by bracing his other hand against the chair in front of Sebastian's desk. "You can't… You can't…" Kurt couldn't even speak; there wasn't enough air in his lungs. Breaking B down and destroying his parts? Sebastian was talking about _killing him_.

"I can do whatever I want with it. In fact, it is probably already happening right now. Piece. By. Piece." Sebastian said smugly.

The anxiousness that had been building inside of Kurt when he first got the call about B came rushing to a head, blinding Kurt with pure panic, he could hardly draw a breath and his heart hurt in his chest like he was having a heart attack. This  _monster_ was standing there and casually talking about ripping apart and destroying someone Kurt desperately cared for. Kurt's vision blurred for a moment, and he lost his balance, and then he felt strong hands under his arms keeping him from falling.

"Whoa," Sebastian said, and Kurt was aware enough to know Sebastian was helping him into the chair.

"Are you going to pass out? Fuck. Put you head between your knees.  _Jesus_."

Kurt sat curled over in the chair with his head in his hands and trying to take deep calming breaths. It had been ages since he'd had a panic attack, but he still remembered what he needed to do to make it pass. _Breathe_.

Kurt was shaking all over, and he knew he was crying, but he couldn't stop. Not when B might be… He might already be... He looked up to find that Sebastian was kneeling by his chair, unexpectedly looking at him with a thoroughly concerned expression.

"P- please don't do this," Kurt begged. "You don't understand. I… I don't know what the B line is to Smy- Smythe Industries," Kurt shuddered. "But B means so  _so_  much to me."

"Listen, kid," Sebastian said softly, almost soothingly. "It's just a machine. You can get a new one."

"He isn't," Kurt said, sitting up a little straighter now that his lungs felt less like they were collapsing. "He  _isn't_  just a machine. Did you actually take any time to talk to him? To… To learn anything about him? I  _swear_ to you he isn't whatever you think he is. He… is so human… and I…" Kurt closed his eyes even as another round of tears rolled down his cheeks. "I love him."  


There was silence for a moment, and when Kurt opened his eyes again, Sebastian was standing and moving back around his desk. He had an inscrutable look on his face, some kind of mix between dark humor and disbelief. " _Well, shit_." He smiled ruefully and chuckled, but it sounded hollow. He ran his hand through his already messed-up hair and then picked up the receiver to his phone.  


"Reese, get me Dr. Lemaire on the phone." Sebastian looked back at Kurt while he waited to be transferred. "He  _is_  just a machine, just an android," he said, still sounding kinder than Kurt would ever have expected. "But if it isn't too late, I'll have them hold off with its decommissioning until I can prove that to you, okay?"

Kurt licked his dry lips, not knowing what to say.  _If it isn't too late._  Because B could already be in pieces in someone's laboratory. Kurt had to push that thought away or he was going to be sick right here in the head of Smythe Industries' office.

"Lemaire?" Sebastian said into the phone. "Is that B line droid…" He glanced at Kurt. "Um… Is he destroyed yet?"

Kurt couldn't hear the other half of the conversation, even though he knew that was the information that could break him right now; he stared steadily at Sebastian's face as it scrunched up in confusion and maybe anger. "What the hell do you mean?" Sebastian rubbed his forehead and sighed. "Fine. Fine. I'm coming down there." He hung up the phone loudly and didn't look at Kurt.

"Is it too late?" Kurt asked, his voice so small he barely recognized it.

Sebastian looked back up at him as if he had forgotten Kurt was even there.

"I don't know what the hell is going on down there, but the droid is still intact."

Kurt felt like someone had been squeezing his heart to almost bursting point, but at those beautiful words the grip was released. "So B's okay? They haven't wiped him clean or... or done anything to hurt him?"

Sebastian was staring off into space, scratching his chin and obviously distracted. "Huh?"

" _Is B okay?_ " Kurt said louder, gripping the arms of the chair as anger started to wash over him, giving him more strength than his fear had.

The kindness that had been in Sebastian's eyes earlier shifted to something haughty, close to the way he'd looked at Kurt at the expo. "You don't really have any right to demand anything of me you know? I'm doing you a favor by even talking to you."

Kurt stood up shaking with anger and dread of what was going on with B. He slammed his hands against the desktop. "Just tell me!" Tears scratched at his throat, but he was done with talking, he needed to see B.

Sebastian didn't answer. Instead he glanced down at his desk. Kurt followed his line of sight and saw that he had shook the desk enough to knock over a framed picture. It now laid face up and Kurt drew in a breath of surprise as he realized what he was looking at.

There, framed in a simple smooth wood, was a photograph of a younger Sebastian Smythe, probably a teenager; he was between two other young men, all three in navy and red prep school uniforms. But out of the three boys, it was the one on Sebastian's right that drew Kurt's attention. He was looking at Sebastian with a grin that lit up his face and crinkled his eyes. The other two boys were smiling at the camera, but this young man appeared to be caught mid-laugh at something one of his friends had said.

Kurt sunk back into the chair and reached for the picture, lifting it up and holding it in trembling hands as his brain tried to process the sight of a photograph of Sebastian Smythe standing next to a much younger looking...  _B_.  


Kurt couldn't pull his gaze away from the young B in the picture, his mind trying to reconcile what his eyes were seeing and what he knew to be true. He didn't even glance up when he heard Sebastian groan. " _Well fan-fucking-tastic._ "


	15. Answers & Questions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Hello all! So I have written and rewritten this chapter and hopefully it turned out okay... It is an important one because we finally get some answers. So many of you were super close with your theories and there was one reader who was spot on, like she could write this fic.
> 
> I think you are all simply wonderful and I'm enjoying hearing from you.
> 
> On a side note: I would LOVE some cover art for this fic. If any of you are artist who take commissions I would pay you for something if I thought your art fit and you thought you wanted to. Just let me know. 
> 
> Enough from me! Read on. :)

Kurt was still staring at the picture of B with his heart in his throat when Sebastian wrenched it from his hands. He quickly slammed it into a drawer of his desk and locked it there.

"What… What was that?" Kurt asked, too stunned to care that Sebastian looked furious.

"None of your business!"

"Why do you have a picture of B on your desk?" Kurt's hands were shaking again. If Sebastian had owned B first, then what would have had to happen for him to hate B so much now?

"You think I keep a picture of an  _android_  on my desk?" Sebastian spat. "That was no droid!"

Kurt swallowed uneasily and nodded, remembering how young B had looked in that picture. Androids didn't grow up or age, of course that wasn't B. "You made a droid that looks like someone you know," Kurt said out loud, even as he worked things out for himself. "Who is he?"

Sebastian studied Kurt for a moment, folding his hand on his desk and trying to read something in Kurt's expression. "You really don't know who your droid looks like?"

"No," Kurt said breathlessly. "Who is it?"

Sebastian stood up abruptly. "Do you want to hear the whole long miserable story or do you want me to take you to the B line droid?"

"Both," Kurt said, also standing, but Sebastian gave him a threatening look.

"B," Kurt quickly revised. "Please, I just want to see B." So many questions were swirling around Kurt's head, but the most important thing was finding B and getting him safely _out of here_.

Sebastian ran his hands through his hair again, and Kurt paused to really looked at him. He seemed like he was about to come loose at the seams, and Kurt wondered what else was going on with him. Kurt didn't say anything though, not wanting Sebastian to change his mind about taking him to B.

Kurt was ready to follow Sebastian out of his office, but instead, Sebastian walked to the wood-paneled wall to Kurt's right and pushed a keypad. The wall slid open to reveal an elevator. Sebastian stepped in, and after a beat of surprise, Kurt hurried to follow him.

Once inside the elevator, Sebastian slid open a little panel in the wall and pushed a flat screen that had floor numbers on it. He pressed his whole palm against it, letting the device read that it was really him, and then hit the button marked B. "The best stuff is in the basement," Sebastian said. "I hope you understand that anything you see here you can't speak of… We'll have you sign a waiver."

"Fine. Whatever you want," Kurt agreed, and Sebastian nodded at him as the elevator started descending. Going down 59 floors and into the building's basement made Kurt's ears pop and his heart was drumming the whole time. Sebastian was taking him to B; he was going to be able to see for himself that B was alright.

_I'm coming,_  he thought as he worried his bottom lip. He just had to think of a way to convince Sebastian to let them leave together.

The doors slid open again to reveal a bright white room. It was filled with workstations and people in white lab coats bent over screens and machinery and things that Kurt had no idea what their function was. As Sebastian passed, he was greeted with "Hello, Mr. Smythe” and "Good afternoon, Mr. Smythe", but Sebastian ignored them all, walking to the back of the large room and pressing his palm against another scanner. They went through two more set of doors before they came to a smaller room. It looked like a private lab, for one or two people to work in.

Kurt recognized the only other person in the room immediately. Dr. Lemaire glanced at Kurt with a surprised upraise of his brows, but then looked at Sebastian.

"I am having trouble fulfilling your request with this android," he said, but Sebastian just held up his hand for silence and looked past him. On the far wall of the room was a big glass window. Kurt's breath caught as he saw a small silver room beyond the window, some machinery around the edges and a stand with tools on it, a small electric saw, wire cutters and other instruments that made Kurt's stomach ache. The most important thing in the little room, though, was B, laid out on a long silver table in the middle of the room, like a patient readied for an operation.

Kurt rushed forward past Sebastian and the doctor. He went to the door that led to the room B was in and tugged on the handle. It didn't budge. "Let me in," Kurt said, turning to the other two men in the room. "I need to see that he's alright."

"Dr. Lemaire can update us on that."

Kurt clenched his jaw and turned to walk over to the window, reaching up and pressing his hand against it. B looked asleep, but Kurt knew he was probably shut down. He lay flat on his back wearing the grey scrub-like clothes of an unassigned droid. His eye- patch was gone and Kurt's heart clenched, thinking of his carefully picked out clothes and bowtie just carelessly discarded somewhere. It was such an invasion. They had kidnapped and stripped and redressed him like some kind of toy. They had no respect or care for B at all.

Kurt turned back around to face Sebastian and Dr. Lemaire. "You have no right to keep him here. He isn't yours."

Sebastian just sighed and ignored him. "Tell me what went wrong?" he said, directing his attention to the doctor.

"I know you wanted him decommissioned," the doctor started in his thick accent. "The first part of that is wiping him clean. Clearing out his memory hard drives."

"You can't do that!" Kurt shouted, but it was as if he wasn't even there for how much attention they gave him.

"And so I did just that. I wiped him clean."

"No." Kurt leaned against the wall, how could they talk about this so indifferently? Taking away B's memories was like…  _erasing him_.

"Okay... And?" Sebastian said, his arms crossed over his chest.

"However…" Dr. Lemaire looked back and forth between Sebastian and Kurt nervously. "It didn't work."

Kurt looked behind his shoulder at the seemingly peaceful B behind him and then hopefully back at the doctor. "He still has his memories?"

"He shouldn't," Sebastian said. "Are you sure you did it right?"

The doctor gave Sebastian a frustrated look. He was obviously not as intimidated by him as other people were. "Monsieur Smythe, what good would I be to your company if I didn't even know how to wipe a droid's memory clean?"

Sebastian sighed. "Fine, Doctor, then tell us what happened," he said, gesturing to Kurt.

Kurt pushed himself off from the wall. Finally, Sebastian indicated that he even remembered Kurt was there.

"I did a complete wipe. Everything. Memories, thoughts, learned behavior," Dr. Lemaire explained, and Kurt started to feel sick. "Then… I turned him back on. I just wanted to do a few short tests before decommissioning him. He  _is_  the last of the B line, and…" He looked past Kurt and into the room where B lay still and lifeless.  


"He remembered," the doctor said with a shrug. "He was…  _bouleversé_ … shaken, and immediately started to demand we take him back to Kurt Hummel and arguing that we had no basis on which to keep him here. I was too stunned to even respond. I just shut him down again. You called down shortly after that. I don't understand it. It is impossible."

There was silence in the lab for a moment after that until Kurt covered his hand with his mouth and let out a happy little laugh. Both Sebastian and Dr. Lemaire looked at him.

Kurt let his hand drop as a smile spread over his face. He felt so relieved he could barely hold himself up. "I told you he wasn't just a droid."

Sebastian didn't say anything, but his face fell back into the aloof, haughty look Kurt was beginning to think was just his mask to cover how he really felt.

"I need to go in and see him," Kurt said, no longer begging, but telling them what was going to happen next. Neither of these men understood what they were dealing with here. And maybe Kurt didn't understand what B was either, but at least he cared about him. " _Now_."

Dr. Lemaire looked at Sebastian, who just nodded. The doctor walked over to the door and used a keypad to unlock it. Kurt rushed past him and to B lying on the table.

"B," he called as he gently cupped his neck and worked on the pressure points to switch him back on. It took a moment, but soon B was blinking his one good eye open and staring up at Kurt. A slow smile covered his face.

" _Kurt_."

"Hey, B," Kurt said with tears in his eyes as he held B's face and ran his thumb over his cheek.

B sat up, and Kurt balanced himself on the edge of the table. He wrapped his arms around B's shoulders and bumped their foreheads together. He really didn't care that Sebastian and Dr. Lemaire were watching. B was here in his arms, safe and himself, and that was what mattered.

"You came after me," B said softly.

"Of course I did. You would for me."

Blaine reached up to hold Kurt's arms. "Of course I would." B smiled, and Kurt pressed a short sweet kiss to his lips before backing up enough to look B over. "You aren't hurt, are you?"

"No." B shook his head. "I… I have a headache."

"I can work on that for you," Kurt said, softly running his fingers through B's curls.

" _Come on_." Sebastian's harsh voice broke Kurt out of the safe little bubble he was in with B. They both looked over at Sebastian. "This is ridiculous. We're here to prove to you he's… it's just an android.  _It_  is no more than a machine!" Sebastian was obviously disturbed, his cheeks red and his eyes narrowed.

"Please," Kurt said. "Your own scientist can't explain why he didn't react to a memory wipe like a normal droid. He isn't just a machine, is he, doctor?" Kurt said, ignoring Sebastian.

"They… They wiped my memory?" B asked anxiously, and Kurt turned back to him. "It didn't take," Kurt said, brushing curls from his face. "You're okay."

Dr. Lemaire cleared his throat. "He is a machine," he spoke up. "I could open him up and show you. I could take the false skin off his face and you'd see a mechanical skull."

Kurt wrapped his arms around B again, determined not to let anyone near him. "I know that. I grew up around androids. I know how they work. I'm just… I'm trying to tell you that even though he is a machine, B is…" Kurt glanced at B, locking eyes with him and smiling. "B is special."

B blushed and smiled a little, and Kurt's heart skipped a beat as it so often did when around B. His hands trembled as he held onto B. He almost lost B before he even told him how much he... he  _loved_  him.

"You think he feels something for you?" Sebastian spat out, interrupting Kurt's thoughts. "It’s all fake. Droids are nothing more than a great fraud. If you grew up around them, you should know that." Sebastian's voice was shaking, and when Kurt glanced at him, he was surprised to see that he didn't look angry.. more _broken_ and on the verge of tears. "I want that android destroyed!" he barked at Dr. Lemaire.

Kurt stood from the table, turning his back towards B and blocking him from Sebastian and Dr. Lemaire. "I won't allow that," Kurt said steadily.

"Well, you don't have a say in it!" Sebastian yelled, moving towards him and grabbing Kurt's arm, roughly pulling him away from B.

Everything after that happened fast. Kurt was struggling against Sebastian, Dr. Lemaire was standing watching in shock, and B got up from the table and rounded on Sebastian, kicking the back of his knee so he folded over and then pulling Kurt's arm out of Sebastian's grasp before putting Kurt behind him and facing Sebastian with a steady gaze.

"You don't get to hurt him. You don't get to  _touch_  him," B said. There was no anger in his voice, just a calm explanation of facts. He wasn't going to let anyone near Kurt.  


Kurt stood frozen behind B, holding on to his arms to keep him close. Did B realize what he had just done? Droids didn't do that. They didn't physically fight humans. They just  _didn't._  They  _couldn't_. And even though B had done no real harm to Sebastian - in fact, Kurt's wrist was probably more injured than the back of Sebastian's leg - what B had just done was unheard of. Droids couldn't use physical force against a human; even droids who were programmed as body guards only did crowd control and acted like a shield for their owners.

Kurt swallowed nervously and waited to see Dr. Lemaire and Sebastian's reactions. Would this make them afraid of B? Would it put him in more danger? "B," Kurt said calmly. "I don't think anyone wants to hurt me."

"Good," B answered, and then looked around at everyone's faces. His posture relaxed. "I'm not going to hurt anyone either."

"I know. You wouldn't," Kurt said with a smile.

"We have to destroy him," Sebastian said again, but much of the fight had left his voice. Kurt was getting really tired of hearing him say that.

"Monsieur," Dr. Lemaire spoke up placidly, trying to break the tension, "I don't know that I can recommend that. Something is going on with the android. It is not just a coincidence that he is so… human.  _A tout pourquoi il y a un parce que_. In the name of science, don't you think-"  


"I can't!" Sebastian interrupted, turning to the doctor. "I can't have a machine walking around in the world with  _his_ face and  _his_ voice and  _his goddamn bowties_. I can't do it. I can't." Sebastian's voice wavered and tears filled his eyes.

"I know this is hard for you," Dr. Lemaire said, reaching a hand out to squeeze Sebastian's shoulder. "But I can't in good conscience destroy this droid without knowing what is happening with it. He is..." The doctor looked at B. "He is something new."

Kurt stepped from behind B to stand beside him and grabbed his hand. Kurt had come so close to losing him and now he just needed constant contact to assure himself that B was okay. Kurt didn't understand what was going on, but he thought he knew where to start. "Tell us about the boy in that picture," he said. "I think it's time we knew the truth."

"We should," Dr. Lemaire said. "We must find out what this is." He gestured to B, who just glanced back and forth between the doctor and Sebastian, clearly confused.

Everyone waited for Sebastian's response. B squeezed Kurt's hand, and Kurt wasn't sure if it was out of nerves or if B was trying to comfort him.

"Fine," Sebastian finally said, his shoulders slumping. He turned and walked out of the room, and after a moment, Dr. Lemaire followed him. Kurt looked at B, who smiled and shrugged his shoulders, trying to look calm, but his jaw was tight and his eye worried.

They followed them out together. Sebastian didn't go far, grabbing a tablet from a nearby work space and sitting down at a table that was lined with stools. Kurt sat down and B sat next to him, but Kurt didn't let go of B's hand. The only way anyone was getting between him and B now was if they physically dragged Kurt away from him.

Sebastian tapped on the screen for a moment before facing it towards Kurt and B. "Do you know who this is?" he asked, and Kurt looked at the picture of an older man with jet black hair and piercing blue eyes.

"Of course. That's Robert Anderson."

"Of Anderson Corporation, yes," Sebastian sighed.

"That's where I got my eye," B said, looking up at Sebastian and then Kurt, trying to put things together. Kurt could only smile encouragingly at him, though, because he didn't know where this was heading either.

"You got more than that from the Anderson's." Sebastian swiped the screen and another picture came up. It showed Robert Anderson with his family. Kurt didn't know that much about the Anderson family or anything about them, really.

A wife and two sons, it seemed, except…

"Oh my god," Kurt breathed, and B's grip on his hand tightened again.

"That's… That's me."

"No," Sebastian said firmly. "This is Blaine Anderson," he said, pointing to the young man in the picture. Older now than he was in the frame upstairs, but still very obviously B. Curly gelled hair and smile that tugged at Kurt's heart with its familiarity.

"Blaine was real, not some  _machine_ ," Sebastian explained, and Kurt decided to let the fact that Sebastian spat the word machine out like a curse pass for now.

"I look just like him," B breathed, and Kurt watched his expression worriedly. B's brows were furrowed, and his lips turned down in concern. "Why do I look like him?"

B rubbed at his temples and Kurt remembered that he had a headache. He wished they could take a minute for Kurt to fix that.

Sebastian cleared his throat and looked down at the picture with a defeated expression. "The B line was a series of droids made to look like my best friend Blaine Anderson because Blaine… He…" Sebastian rubbed at his eyes, and Kurt suddenly felt sorry for him. This was hard on him, and Kurt was beginning to put together why. "Blaine was injured, badly. He was in a coma and we - his family and mine - we were desperate to save him. We worked with the Andersons to make a B line droid that could be connected remotely to Blaine's consciousness, a way for him to live, even though his own body and mind were damaged."

Kurt felt a lump form in his throat, and turned to see tears in B's eyes.

"It didn't work," Sebastian concluded quickly, looking back up from the picture and trying to regain his composure. "There was nothing we could do to save him. The B line was a waste, and since neither myself nor the Andersons wanted droids walking around looking like Blaine, we had the whole line destroyed. Except one. B821 was stolen and his tracking device interfered with. We couldn't find him. Until now."

No one said anything. Kurt's mind felt muddled. He sympathized with Sebastian in a way he hadn't expected. How horrible to lose your friend and have to sit here face to face with someone that looked like him, but wasn't him. Still, as much as Kurt felt for Sebastian, he still wouldn't allow Sebastian's grief to be used to harm B.

B reached for the tablet and sat staring at the picture of the Anderson family. "Do they know about me?"

"No." Sebastian shook his head. "They think the B line is gone."

B nodded, and Kurt just wanted to wrap him up in his arms; he looked so sad. B rubbed his temple again, and Kurt scooted closer to him.

"I am so terribly sorry about your friend," Kurt said. "But B… You can't punish him for looking like Blaine."

" _Blaine_ ," B whispered next to him, and his voice cracked.

Sebastian opened his mouth to reply, but B stood up from the table. He wobbled a little on his feet. "I don't… feel well," He said, his voice husky and troubled.

"B?" Kurt grabbed B's arm anxiously, but B just glanced at him and then collapsed. He felt to the ground with a thud and Kurt was on his knees next to him in an instant. "B!"

He wasn't just in sleep mode, because his chest wasn't rising and falling. Kurt pressed on his neck, trying to turn him back on, but it didn't work. Panic swelled in Kurt’s chest. "B!" he shouted again. "Please, B, please wake up."

Dr. Lemaire knelt next to them, also attempting to turn B on, but it didn't work. For a long, terrible moment, Kurt felt his heart starting to tear, but then B blinked his eye open again and looked up in evident fear. "What… happened?"

Kurt was nearly lying over B at this point as he wrapped him in his arms. "Oh god B, I don't know. Are- Are you okay?"

B sat up and rubbed his head, but Kurt kept his arms around him, his face pressed against his shoulder.

"I can do something about the headache," Dr. Lemaire said from his position, crouched beside them. Sebastian was on the other side of the room, arms folded across his stomach and looking down at his feet.

Dr. Lemaire and Kurt helped B to his feet and led him to sit back down on a stool as Dr. Lemaire got the correct tools to help with B's headache. "I don't know what just happened to your droid," Dr. Lemaire said, looking at Kurt, "but I would love the chance to find out, study him some. I promise I want to help, not hurt."

Kurt licked his lips and looked at B, but didn't answer. They needed to talk about all that was going on, and then B could decide what he was comfortable with. Right now, he just wanted B home. Kurt had it stuck in his head that if he could just get B away from this place, he'd be alright. That is, if Sebastian even gave them that chance.

Kurt looked over at Sebastian who still kept his distance from them. "You have to see that B is more than a normal droid," Kurt said to him.

Sebastian looked up briefly. "I see nothing of the sort. The only thing that is clear to me is… is that you obviously care deeply about him." Sebastian sighed. "I'm not cruel, you know. You can keep you damn droid, and Dr. Lemaire can do tests on him or whatever,  _in his own time_. But I  _never_  want to see it again."

With that, Sebastian stormed past them, shouting back as he left the room. "And make sure they sign the damn confidentiality waivers!"

Kurt was left with just B, who was trembling slightly, and Dr. Lemaire, who Kurt was still unsure of. "I just want to take B home."

"Yes," B spoke up. "Please."

"Do you feel better?" Dr. Lemaire asked, closing B's neck.

"I do. The headache is gone," B answered, rubbing his forehead. "Thank you."

"I'll get the waivers for you to sign, and here." The doctor reached into his pocket and withdrew a business card, handing it to Kurt. "If he has any more trouble, or you just find you want… answers. S'il vous plaît, call me."

Dr. Lemaire left the room, and Kurt turned to wrap B in a protective hug. B wrapped his arms around Kurt as well. "I was so terrified I'd never find you… That you'd be lost or destroyed… And…" Kurt sniffed, tears fresh in his eyes. "And now I don't know what is happening to you."

"I was scared too," B whispered. "But you found me, and now we get to go home, and do you know why?"

Kurt pulled back a little to look at B's face. "Why?"

B smiled. His eye was damp with tears, but his expression was somehow a little mischievous. "Because you like me.  _A lot_. Sebastian could see that and is letting me go because you care about me." He grinned. "You must  _really_  like me."  


Kurt rolled his eyes, but laughed a little. He felt so full of relief that if he let himself, he might start laughing like a mad man. "I more than  _like_  you. And I'm never letting anyone take you from me again," Kurt said, capturing B's lips in a kiss. There were still too many things to think and worry about, but for now at least, they were together.


	16. Test & Headaches

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: This is what happens as I get closer and closer to the end of a story, my chapters get longer and longer. This one would have been super long (for this fic at least) but I broke it down into 2 parts.  
> Warning, I guess, for a brief amount of smut. Or as I call it when I'm doing my chapter outlines "sexy times".  
> As always, if you feel like leaving me a comment I swear it makes me write faster. Much love to you!

Kurt called Burt in the cab on the way home from Smythe Industries. B was sitting by the door and Kurt was leaning against him, letting B's solid body support Kurt's exhausted one. Burt was upset that Kurt had moved forwards and done something so risky, but he also seemed very relieved that B was alright.

Burt said he was going to send Kurt some legal information proving that B was rightfully theirs, as a precaution if Kurt needed it in the future. Kurt didn't really like the idea of  _owning_ B - he was so much his own person that it didn't seem right - but if it meant no-one could get their hands on him again, then Kurt would accept the papers and store them for safekeeping.

Kurt also texted his director, who had called and texted him all evening after Kurt had just disappeared from work. Kurt explained that there had been a family emergency and that he'd need the next day off as well. After that, Kurt pillowed his head against B's shoulder and let B rub a hand comfortingly up and down his arm.

When they got back to the apartment, Kurt lugged himself upstairs. He was so tired he thought he could pass out.

"Are you okay?" B asked as Kurt unlocked the front door with shaky hands.

"Today has been long and awful," Kurt said as they entered the apartment and he closed the door behind them. "I don't know what to think or what to do with everything we've learned." He reached for B's hand and walked them both over to the couch. He collapsed on it and tugged B down with him. B smiled at him and lay over Kurt's body with his head resting on Kurt's chest.

"We need to talk about today," Kurt said as he carded his fingers through B's curls and sighed in the pure relief of just being home. "And about you… spontaneously shutting down." Kurt shivered at the memory.

"I can't stop thinking about Blaine Anderson," B said quietly.

"That too," Kurt said, trying to hold back a yawn.

B looked up at him, his chin resting on Kurt's chest. "I think you need to sleep. We can talk in the morning."

"But it's important," Kurt protested.

B scooted up so he could press a kiss against Kurt's neck, making him shiver pleasantly. "So are you. I thought today that I would never see you again. Let's rest now and worry tomorrow?" B's eye met Kurt's. They'd given B back his clothes and eye patch, and Kurt ran his finger softly down the fabric of the patch to the smooth skin of B's cheek.

"I can't argue with that," Kurt said. "Come on." He shifted to get up and B rolled off of him. Kurt took his hand again and led him to his bedroom. Kurt started taking off his shirt and slipping off his pants, too tired to worry about undressing in front of B. He pulled on a pair of pajama bottoms and flopped back on his bed. B joined him, stripped to a tank and his underwear. They curled together under the covers and Kurt wrapped his arms protectively around B.

Kurt had come too close to losing B today, and he could never let that happen again. He felt sick thinking about it. He also felt awful thinking about Blaine Anderson, some beautiful, tragic man that B had been based on. Life could be so cruel at times, but still Kurt couldn't help but feel grateful that he had B, even if it was something terrible that had caused B to be created.

Kurt fell into a deep sleep wrapped around B. Kurt's body and mind were worn out from the day, and he would have slept straight through to daylight if he hadn’t been woken up in the early hours of the morning by a shout of fear.

Kurt sat straight up in bed, his heart pounding.

He looked over to B, who was sitting up next to him, trembling, clearly having just woken from a nightmare.

Kurt put an arm around B's back. "Hey, it's okay," he said softly, hoping to comfort him.

"It's not okay," B said. "That stupid dream, over and  _over_." He shook harder and Kurt squeezed him in a hug. "Did… Did Sebastian ever tell you how Blaine Anderson was injured?" B asked, looking at Kurt with a lost expression.

"He never said," Kurt whispered.

"Maybe we should… I just wonder…"

"B? What is it?" Kurt asked, rubbing B’s back softly.

"What if these dreams aren't  _my_ memories? What if they are his? Besides that one time when I was worried about you, I'm always human in them."

"I…" Kurt stopped, not knowing what to say. How would that be possible? It would mean that… part of Blaine's mind was in B? Kurt didn't know if he liked that idea or not, but it would explain a lot of things. "Things happened to you before we got you, though," Kurt finally said. "I mean, you were stolen and dumped… They could be your memories."

"Which is better, do you think?" B asked, calming down a little and lacing his fingers with Kurt's. "That something bad happened to me or that I have the memories of something bad happening to a dead man?"

Kurt licked his lips worriedly and then brushed the tears off of B's cheek. "Either sounds terrible," Kurt said. "I’m so sorry."

B smiled weakly. "My life is good. I know how fortunate I am that you and Burt took me in and treat me the way you do. I don't mean to complain… I just think… I want to know what happened. To me. To  _him_. Maybe it would help?"

"Okay," Kurt said. "We'll start looking. I bet we can find some information on Blaine Anderson, and maybe Dr. Lemaire knows something about you."

B nodded. "Thank you," he said softly. He leaned in to kiss Kurt, and Kurt wrapped his arms around him. B lingered and Kurt smiled, parting his lips and letting B deepen the kiss.

B surged in, tipping Kurt backwards until he lay on his back with B over him. Kurt realized just how naked he was without a shirt on when B's fingertips trailed gently down his side, raising goosebumps and making Kurt shiver all over. Kurt's hands drifted down to the hem of B's shirt until they were able to slide underneath, spreading over B's back and rucking up his tank.

B gasped and Kurt whispered, "Is this okay?"

"Yes," B answered breathily, and Kurt pulled the tank over B's head until B could lean over him, their skin touching chest to chest.

B kept kissing, pressing his lips against any part of Kurt he could reach, his mouth, his jaw, his neck and shoulders. Kurt let out a moan as he felt himself respond to B's touch. He shifted his hips up involuntarily and was greeted by the pleasant surprise of B hard in his underwear.

Kurt had given that some thought before. He knew that Blaine… had the necessary parts, but he never knew if B would be able to respond like this. Kurt wasn't sure how far either of them wanted to go tonight, but it was nice to know there were possibilities.

He held B tight, and moved to find B's lips again. B groaned as they kissed, thrusting down just enough to build friction as they slid together.

" _God, B,_ " Kurt called out as heat pooled in his stomach. He wanted B so much that he couldn't even find the words to express it.

They continued to cling to each other, B grinding down as Kurt thrust up, their skin sliding together, damp with Kurt's sweat. They still had B's underwear and Kurt's pajamas between them, but for now, this was enough. Kurt panted and B kissed him open-mouthed and needily. After a few minutes of this, Kurt was arching up and shouting B's name as he came.

B trembled against him and groaned, deep and throaty and gorgeous, until he reached his climax as well. Then they both collapsed back down, panting and kissing lazily. B was heavy on top of him, and Kurt liked the weight of it, grounding him and holding him safe.

"I… I love you, B," Kurt whispered into the darkness of the room, and B lifted his head from where it was buried into Kurt's neck. He stared down at Kurt, no eye patch and his good eye crinkled with a smile.

"You  _love_ me?" B asked softly, and his voice was so happy and hopeful that Kurt couldn't help but giggle.

"So much, B."

"I love you too, Kurt. More than I knew I could."

Kurt just grinned as he pulled B down for another kiss. Kurt was messy and wanted to clean up and kept telling himself he was about to get up and do that, but instead he fell back asleep with B over him, feeling loose and content.

 

Kurt woke up with a smile and turned over to his side to reach for B, but he wasn't there. He sat up and rubbed his eyes with his palm as he looked at the empty side of the bed.  Sunlight was streaming through the window, but B wasn’t there.

He got up, stripping off his pants from the night before and taking a much needed shower. Afterwards, he slipped on some comfy clothes and headed out to living room, smiling when he saw B in the kitchen and smelled coffee in the air.

"You're up early," Kurt said, and B turned from the counter where he was sipping some coffee, something Kurt wasn't sure he'd seen him do before, and reading the newspaper.

"I was restless. Sorry," B answered with a smile.

"No it's fine." Kurt went to the cupboards and grabbed a bowl and spoon, deciding this was a good morning for cereal.

"Should we talk about yesterday?" Kurt asked after he poured a bowl of Rice Krispies and was leaning up against the counter, across from B.

"You mean about being kidnapped? Or finding out about Blaine? Or my shutting off for no apparent reason?"

Kurt's heart tightened in his chest. "Which of those things is bothering you the most?"

B grinned down into his mug of coffee, and Kurt relaxed a little. "Probably the Blaine Anderson thing… I can't get him out of my head… I just... I want to know what happened to him, but I'm scared to find out."

Kurt nodded in understanding.

"The most pressing thing might be to find out why I shut down like that, though."

"That really scared me," Kurt confessed, not meeting B's gaze.

B put his mug down on the counter and walked towards him, leaning up to kiss Kurt's forehead. Kurt smiled and put down his bowl so he could cup B's face with his hands and kiss him back. He tasted like coffee.

"Last night was amazing, by the way. It was more than anything I could ever have hoped for," B said with a sweet blush. "I should have said that first thing."

"It's okay that you're preoccupied." Kurt smiled as B leaned into him and Kurt's stomach flip-flopped. "But last night really was…  _amazing_."

B blushed brighter, and Kurt just wanted to live in this moment, where they were happy and B was safe. He didn't want to learn more about Blaine Anderson or the awful thing that had to have happened to him. He didn't want to think about how Blaine Anderson must be missed by his family and friends. He didn't want to think about B passing out in the lab the day before, he just wanted things to be good and happy and easier than this. But Kurt's life had never been easy, and he knew they had to get through this together. They'd come out the other side stronger for it.

"I think we should call Dr. Lemaire," Kurt said. "See if he can find out what happened to you yesterday. Just to make sure it doesn't happen again."

"Yeah, okay," B said, and he kissed Kurt again.

Dr. Lemaire was more than happy to hear from them, especially so soon. He arranged to meet them at the Smythe Tower that afternoon.

"How will Sebastian feel about that?" B asked the doctor. They had him on speakerphone and Kurt was listening in, but mostly watching B in concern.

"He said I had to look into this on my own time," the doctor answered. "He never said we couldn't use his lab."

B wasn't sure if that made it okay, but Dr. Lemaire assured him that they wouldn't run into Sebastian. B was still worried about it though. During the entire subway ride, Kurt watched him fidget and bite his lip.

"Don’t you want to see Sebastian because he… scares you?" Kurt asked when he couldn't keep the thought to himself any longer.

"No," B said, looking up. "It's because I don't want to see that broken look in his eyes again. I don't want to upset him or remind him of the friend he lost."

As upsetting as the circumstances were, Kurt couldn't help but smile at that, and fall even harder for B and his tender heart.

Dr. Lemaire was as excited as Kurt had ever seen him. He wanted to do tests to measure brain waves and power input in B's thought drives. B said he was willing to do whatever the doctor wanted.

"As long as it doesn't hurt him," Kurt added.

Dr. Lemaire assured him that it wouldn't hurt B at all, and started to hook him up to a machine that would measure his thoughts to see if B's brain reacted like a human’s. Much like an EEG scan, with small circular sensors to place all over his head.

Kurt watched as B sat on a table and let Dr. Lemaire prepare him.

"Have you been having any more headaches?" Dr. Lemaire asked, and B glanced quickly at Kurt before answering.

"Yes. A slight headache, off and on today."

"You didn't mention that," Kurt said, reaching for his hand.

"I don't want to worry you, especially after yesterday."

"I'll be more worried thinking you are keeping things from me, B," Kurt said, squeezing his hand. "I mean… You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. It is up to you, but I could help."

Dr. Lemaire pressed on the last sensor and moved away to check the machine.

"I know. I just feel like…" B sighed and let the sentence trail off.

Kurt just swiped his thumb slowly over B's hand and waited. B would talk if he wanted to.

"I don't ever want to see you the way you were yesterday," B said, glancing down. "I never want to worry you like that again."

" _Oh, B,_ " Kurt whispered.

Dr. Lemaire came back over, wheeling the machine with him. "Now, this needle here is going to record your thought waves," he explained, pointing out a needle that hung over an electric pad. "It goes up and down and marks your activity."

"What do I do?" B asked.

"Just answer a few questions for me."

Dr. Lemaire went through a series of questions and Kurt and B watched the needle twitch and write and bob. Dr. Lemaire seemed to get less excited as they went on.

"What does all that mean?" B asked as the doctor finished asking him a question about how he liked New York compared to Ohio.

"So far you haven't registered anything over a 5," the doctor said, tapping the screen. "Most android thoughts fall between a 2 and a 4, but many can make it to a 5. Hitting a 5 means you are advanced… but we already knew that."

"You were hoping for more," B said, and Kurt could see the disappointment in B's face.

"Oui. I was, yes."

B nodded and closed his eyes tiredly.

"Can we have a moment?" Kurt asked, and Dr. Lemaire walked away to give them some privacy.

"It's okay, B," Kurt said softly. "These tests don't define who you are."

"They kind of do, though," B answered, looking up at him sadly. "I wanted to prove… I don't know, that I am more than just a droid, like you are always saying. I'm scared that-" He stopped abruptly and looked away as tears filled his eyes.

" _B_. What is it? What are you scared of?"

"That we'll find out I am just an advanced machine. Nothing more." B's voice wavered and was so quiet Kurt had to lean forward to hear him. "And you... And you won't love me anymore."

Kurt's heart flooded with emotion. Did B really think they would have come this far only to find something that would make Kurt not love him anymore? Had last night not shown B how much he cared for him? It hurt to think that B felt so vulnerable.

"Never, B," Kurt said, leaning forward and pressing a short kiss to his lips. "That couldn't happen. Nothing we learn here could ever change how I feel about you."

B looked at him hopefully. "Really?"

"Of course," Kurt said, enjoying the way B's cheeks flushed as they gazed at each other.

" _Je n'en crois pas mes yeux!_ "

Kurt looked up to see that Dr. Lemaire had moved closer again and was looking at the readings from the machine with a smile on his face.

"Look at this!" the doctor pointed.

Kurt looked at the readout and it took a second for him to realize the needle had jumped up and down dramatically. "Wait… What does that mean?" Kurt asked.

"He reached an 8," the doctor said and then smiled at B. "You reached an 8."

"I…" B scrunched up his brows. "How?"

Dr. Lemaire looked at them both. "I think it’s him." He nodded towards Kurt. "Your numbers steadily grew as you two were talking, and when he kissed you, it jumped to an 8. Anything over 6 is… is comparable to  _human_  thought." The doctor was so excited he started chattering away in French, and even though Kurt could speak some French himself, he wasn't listening. His heart was in his throat and he felt on the verge of tears. He turned to B, who was staring at him with wide eyes.

"How?" B rasped out.

"I don't know the how," Dr. Lemaire said, "Right now, we are still working on the  _what_."

B swallowed as his eyes filled with tears. "So this means…?"

"It means you think like a human," Kurt said, holding his hands. "Which, of course, I already knew," he beamed.

B let out a short relieved laugh, wiping at his eyes, and for the first time, Kurt realized that as confident as  _he_ was in B and the fact that he wasn't just another droid, B might have had some doubts in himself.

"B," Kurt said. "You have proof now."

"I just don't understand… How…."

"It has to have something to do with Monsieur Blaine." Dr. Lemaire seemed to be talking to himself as he looked over his machine. "I've never seen a droid react like this."

B rubbed his head and looked up at Kurt. "Do you think it's because of Blaine?"

"I think it's because you're  _you_ ," Kurt said, kissing him again. "Do you have a headache?"

"I get one every time I think about the Andersons."

Kurt was going to respond to that, but Dr. Lemaire called out in surprise before Kurt had a chance.

"Mon Dieu!" Kurt glanced over to him. "The needle is up to a 9!" the doctor said excitedly.

"Kurt… I think-" B's voice was strained, and as Kurt looked back at him, he toppled over, head hitting the table with a clang.

"B!" Kurt shouted, his hands running over B's body, up to his neck where he tried in vain to switch him back on. "No, B, no! Dr. Lemaire!" Kurt called but the doctor was looking at his readings. " _Dr. Lemaire!_ "

The doctor tore himself away from the machine and hurried over, helping to turn B onto his back so he was lying on the table.

"What do we do?" Kurt asked frantically. B had just  _shut off_ again and Kurt couldn't wake him. What would they do if B didn't wake up on his own?

The doctor shook his head and reached for a tool to open the panel in B's neck. "Maybe if we can fix what was giving him the headache…" He said as he worked.

With a gasp, B opened his eye again and abruptly sat up, forcing the doctor and Kurt step back quickly.

"B?" Kurt reached out for his hand and B took it, pulling him closer. "Are you alright?" Kurt's voice wobbled, and B looked at him with fearful eyes.

"I'm…" He reached up at started tugging sensors off his head. "I want to go home."

"Okay. Okay," Kurt said, helping him by gently peeling off sensors. "Doctor?" he called, turning towards Dr. Lemaire, and the doctor shut off his machine and started to help.

"I'm sorry that happened again, young man," he said, talking to B. "I know this must be very frightening for you."

"It's like… dying," B said, and Kurt glanced up at his face as his heart clenched.

"I am glad it happened while you were connected to the machine, though. The more information we have, the better I can help you."

"What did your machine say?" B asked.

"You spiked to a 10 and then abruptly down to a 1 before you... passed out."

"And what does that mean?" Kurt asked as the last of the sensors was removed.

"I'm not sure," Dr. Lemaire said with a distracted look in his eyes, "But I have something I need to look into."

B stood up from the table and Kurt held his elbow ready in case he wavered or fell.

"I would say to be alert about these headaches, as they seem to come before you shut off. Keep a log of them, what you were doing before they come, etc." the doctor said. "We need more data."

"I know what to tweak to help the headache go away once he gets one," Kurt said, realizing the panel in B's neck was still open and shutting it again, watching the edges meld back into B's neck and look like skin. "Is it okay if I do that?"

"Yes, yes. That is good. Just keep a record of what you do."

"Alright," Kurt nodded, before smiling back at B. He wasn't sure he wanted to leave. They still didn't know what was wrong with B, but he seemed so very ready to go home that Kurt wouldn't argue. "Ready to go?"

"Yes," B said eagerly.

B was quiet the whole trip home. Kurt held his hand on the subway, and B never pulled away, but he still seemed distant.

"I was thinking we could order dinner from that pizza place you love?" B didn't eat much because he didn't really have to eat at all, but he did love Cigar's pizza, and Kurt was trying to get him out from under the cloud that was silently hovering over him.

"Okay," B said, and gave Kurt a small smile.

They ate pizza and watched TV, B leaning up against him. When they went to bed, Kurt wasn't sure if B would come to his room or not. He wanted him to, but they hadn't really talked about it. He was relieved when, without a word, B followed him in and pulled off his vest and shirt. "Is this okay?" he asked, holding the polo in his hands. "That I sleep here?"

"I want you here if you want to be here," Kurt answered.

B nodded. "I always want to be with you."

It was the sweetest thing B could have said, and Kurt smiled and wrapped his arms around him, giving him a kiss. "We don't have to go back to Dr. Lemaire if you don't want to. Or we can. Whatever you want to do about all this, I will follow your lead, okay?"

"I want to go back, of course I do."

"You just… You seemed upset."

B sighed. "I guess I am, but I hope that… Maybe we can find out what is going on, and then put it all behind us. I don't know how else to move on."

"Whatever you want," Kurt nodded, arms still around B's shoulders. All Kurt wanted was to make B feel better and keep him safe. Things were hard before Sebastian Smythe came into their lives, before the name Blaine Anderson seemed to haunt them, before these headaches. The problem of how to tell people he was dating an android seemed so simple and insignificant now. Kurt wished they could go back to that.

B brushed his thumb over Kurt's cheek. "Hey… Are you alright?"

Kurt nodded.

"Thank you. For coming after me yesterday, for letting me look for answers…"

"B, you don't have to thank me for those things."

"And thank you," B smiled and continued. "For… For last night. I never thought I would have that with anyone, least of all you…" He blushed and Kurt smiled.

"You know, that doesn't have to stay a one time thing…" Kurt said teasingly. "In fact, I hope it won't."

" _I love you,_ " B said softly, and then gave him a grin as he leaned in for a kiss.


	17. The Alleyway

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: I've been stressed about posting this chapter because I know you all want answers and though this story in moving at the pace I planned for it too I'm afraid you are all going to read this part and then... I don't know, just growl at me or something. :/ But here it is and I hope to update again before the weekend. 
> 
> Also, since a humorous amount of you asked... I thought I'd explain a little bit about how B as a droid could *ahem* do the do. Basically B was made to be a shell for a human's consciousness so the Blaine Anderson would be able to live as normal of a life as possible. He blushes, he has a sense of taste, he can cry and (though it was probably an awkward day in the lab) he is also built to be able to feel physical pleasure when prompted by the appropriate actions. I will say (and there is no delicate way to put this) that while Kurt needed to clean up after, B wouldn't have that particular problem. Hopefully that clears that up for you inquiring minds!
> 
> Thanks again for your reviews and your continued support. Now on with the show!

Monday morning, Kurt had to get up and go to classes and then work. He didn't want to. He wanted to stay all day curled up with B in bed. B was still sleeping soundly, head pillowed on Kurt's chest, and Kurt couldn't help but think that he always wanted to wake up this way.

Maybe he should take the day off. If B was still having headaches, Kurt should stay with him. Kurt unconsciously ran his hand up and down B's back with a peaceful sigh. B's skin was smooth and so nice to touch. It was a little strange at first to feel B's skin and not have it be warm like a human's, but Kurt had gotten used to that. He couldn't believe he'd denied himself moments like this for so long just because he was worried about getting involved with B.

B shuffled a little bit and then sat up, stretching and smiling. That was one thing about B; he had no trouble waking up. Mornings weren't a struggle for him like they were for Kurt, who always just wanted another 5 minutes in bed. B woke up alert and ready. Kurt didn't know if that was a B thing or an android thing, but he was jealous of it.

"Time to get up, sleepyhead," B said, looking down at him.

"Don't wanna," Kurt yawned.

B grinned down at him, his hair a mess of curls and his cheeks rosy. "You have school."

"I was thinking of staying home today. With you."

" _I_  have school, Kurt."

Kurt pulled himself up, tucking his feet close and wrapping his arms around his knees. "You could skip."

"I could… But Mrs. Huang is anxious to see me after what happened last week. And as much as I'd love to just spend the day with you, we do have lives we have to live."

"You want things to go back to normal," Kurt said. "Back to the way things were before Smythe Industries took you and we learned… and we learned all that we learned." Kurt interpreted what B was saying, but avoided mentioning the Andersons, since it might give B a headache.

B smiled bashfully and looked down at his lap, playing with his fingers. "Not everything… I like where  _we_  are."

Kurt couldn't keep the wide grin off of his own face. "Me too." Their relationship was progressing quickly, but it could hardly be helped, seeing as they were already living together and Kurt had almost lost B for good. Something that still made his stomach ache to think of.

B looked up from his lap and furrowed his brows. He must have noticed the upset look on Kurt's face. B moved forward quickly to cup Kurt's face with both of his hands and sealed his lips with a kiss. Kurt let out a muffled sound of surprise before letting his eyes flutter closed as he hungrily kissed him back.

B laughed as Kurt pushed him back down onto the bed and kissed him deep, and sweet, one of his hands settling in B's hair and the other on his hip. B tugged on Kurt's bottom lip a little, and Kurt moaned into the kiss. They ended up in bed longer than planned, but eventually they had to get up and rush to get ready for the day.

"Call or text me if you have any headaches," Kurt said, hopping on one foot as he pulled on a boot. "And tell Mrs. Huang about how you've been passing out, okay?"

"I will," B said, finishing off tying his bow tie.

"And I'll see you this evening," Kurt said, pulling on a coat. "And please, just be…" Kurt sighed, hating the idea of letting B go off on his own, but knowing B needed that.

"I'll be careful and I'll text you regularly today, okay?"

"Thank you, B," Kurt said, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "I know I'm being protective. I just can't help worrying about you."

"I know," B said sweetly, brown eye dancing, and Kurt smiled at him and the maroon eye patch he was wearing and how it brought out the ruddiness of his cheeks. "It's going to be alright," B assured him.

Kurt did everything he could to focus at school. Texting B between classes and laughing as B sent him pictures all day with captions like "Mrs. Huang hugged me so tight it's a good thing I don't need to breathe." and "Tye says he thinks he might start pretending he is a Martian because of how people stare at his green skin. You should hear his impression of one, it's hilarious." B didn't mention what had happened over the weekend or the fact that he knew Kurt was worried, but he kept up enough texts so that Kurt felt better.

The texts slowed a little while Kurt was at work, but B still answered every time Kurt shot one off. Kurt was finally leaving the theater after a long day and walking to the subway when his phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and smiled as he saw it was another text from B.

_I might not be at the apartment when you get home._

Kurt paused as he read the text.

__**I thought you were already home. Everything okay?**  
  


_I was, but I have an errand to finish up. Everything's fine._

_**  
Headache?** _

_  
Just a little one. Nothing like the ones that come before I shut off. No big deal._

Kurt bit his lip worriedly, but he wasn't going to tell B what to do or demand to know where he was at all times. He wanted B to be his own person.

_**Okay, see you when you get home,**_  Kurt texted before pocketing his phone and heading down to the subway.

When Kurt got home, he shrugged off his coat and checked to see if there were any more texts from B. There weren't. He wanted to text and ask him how his errand was going, but felt like he was being overprotective. He'd wait a little while before texting again. Kurt went to the kitchen to start some dinner and noticed B's tablet sitting out on the table. He walked over and sat down, finding a sticky note next to it.

_Kurt,_

_Take a look at what I found._

_Love you,_

_B_  
  


Kurt smiled and felt butterflies in his stomach over those two simple words, “ _Love you”_. He tapped the screen to wake the tablet and see what B had left for him.

The first thing he saw was a black and white picture of B smiling up at him. It took Kurt a moment of really looking at the photo to realize what was wrong with it. B had two eyes and no eye patch. Not B then… Blaine Anderson.

The picture was part of a newspaper article and as Kurt scanned it, his stomach tightened. It was dated nearly two years ago, and was a brief write-up about how Blaine Anderson, son of multimillionaire business mogul Robert Anderson, was rushed to Lenox Hill hospital after what police believed was a hate-crime. His condition was unknown at the time.

Kurt felt sick. God, Blaine had been attacked in a hate-crime? Out of all the scenarios in Kurt's mind of what could have happened to him, that hadn't been one of them. Kurt had assumed it'd been a car accident or something.

He exited the article only to find a folder on B's desktop titled "Blaine Anderson". Kurt clicked on the folder; even though he wasn't sure he wanted to know what else B had found. He opened documents and scanned them, learning more about the night Blaine had been injured.

Blaine Anderson was attacked outside of a theater after an evening with friends and then left for dead. The police concluded it was a hate crime because the F word was freshly spray painted on the ground near him. It turned out that Blaine had gone into a coma, but after that Kurt didn't find anything else about him. No record of his death or an obituary.

There was also a little about the Anderson family in the folder. How Mr. and Mrs. Anderson went back to their home in Ohio after a while and rarely come to New York anymore. The folder also contained the address to an apartment in an expensive part of town. It seemed to be the home of Cooper Anderson, who had stayed in the city even after the brutal attack his brother suffered

Kurt shut the folder again, shaking all over. B had found all this. B had been researching Blaine Anderson without saying anything about it.

Of course B would want to know about the man he'd been created in the image of. Kurt just wished he didn't feel like he had to do it alone. Though if Kurt was being fair, B  _had_ said he couldn't stop thinking about Blaine Anderson. Kurt should have helped him with this instead of putting it off. The thing was, Kurt  _didn't_ want to think about Blaine Anderson.  


Kurt rubbed a hand down his face. B left the research out for Kurt to see, so he obviously wanted Kurt to be part of this. Kurt just hoped B's errand didn’t have anything to do with the information he'd found. If just  _thinking_ about Blaine gave B a headache, then looking into his history would surely make him pass out again. Kurt shuddered to think what would happen if B shut off somewhere all alone.

Kurt took out his phone and sent B a message.

_**You okay? I found your research on Blaine Anderson.** _

Kurt waited nervously, but there was no return message. Kurt got up and opened the fridge, looking to see what he could make for dinner, but too distracted to really take in anything he saw. He shut the door and texted again.

_**I'm sorry if I'm bugging you. I don't want to be that kind of boyfriend, but if you'll just let me know you're okay, I'll leave you alone.** _

Kurt waited another few minutes, aimlessly wandering around the apartment, before he couldn't take it anymore. He started to call B when a text came in from him. Kurt sighed in relief until he read the message.

_Not okay. I need you._

Kurt's heart dropped to his stomach, and Kurt quickly called B. The phone rang a few times before going to voicemail.

"B!" Kurt said to his voicemail. "Where are you? I can't come to you if I don't know where you are.  _Call me back_."

He hung up and texted him.

_**Where are you?** _

No answer.

Kurt started feeling frantic. B wasn't okay and needed Kurt, and Kurt didn't even know how to get to him! What if f B had passed out and that was why he wasn't responding? How could Kurt get to him? What if someone found him and hurt him or  _stole_ him? Kurt took a deep breath and tried to calm himself.  


_Okay, assume this has something to do with Blaine Anderson,_  Kurt thought, hand gripping his phone.  _Where would B go?_

Not to Smythe Industries. There would be no one there this late anyway.

Anderson Corporation had an office in the financial district. But what would B hope to find there at almost 8 pm on a Monday?

Then Kurt remembered. The folder. There had been one address in there.

"Cooper Anderson," Kurt breathed, and then rushed for the tablet looking up the address. That had to be where B had gone.

He sent a quick text telling B he was coming and then grabbed his coat and rushed out of the apartment.

Kurt hailed a cab and gave the driver the address on the Upper East Side.

Kurt kept checking his phone, picturing B walking up somewhere and disorientedly texting or calling him. But nothing came in. Kurt shot off a few more texts of his own, but didn't hear back from B.

This was why he was afraid to leave B alone today; he had been terrified of something like this happening. Why would B go off on his own when he knew anything about the Anderson's triggered him? Kurt had spent so much time lately worried about B, and it wasn't B's fault, but this time it could have been avoided. When Kurt found him, he was going to hold him close and kiss him soundly, and then tell him  _exactly_ how he felt about B scaring him like this.

That is… If B was alright…

Kurt clenched his jaw. The cab ride seemed to take forever, and Kurt quickly hopped out of the car when he finally got to the right address. He walked confidently into the apartment building, like he was supposed to be there, and the doorman let him in.

Once he was in the lobby, Kurt wasn't sure what to do. This wasn't the kind of place that would just let you up to someone's apartment without clearance. Kurt had lucked out when he'd been sneaking around Smythe Industries, but he couldn't count on that happening again.

Kurt looked around the richly decorated lobby for any sign of B, but he wasn't here.

He walked up to the porter behind the front desk. "Excuse me," Kurt said, trying hard to keep the nerves out of his voice. "Has a young man, about this tall," he said, holding up his hand. "With curly dark hair come by this evening? Maybe to see Mr. Anderson?"

"No, sir," The porter answered. "I haven't seen anyone fitting that description."

"Right," Kurt said, feeling unsettled with worry. This was taking too long. B could be lying unconscious or hurt somewhere, and Kurt didn't even know how to find him.

Kurt looked back across the lobby, trying to decide what to do next when the elevator doors opened with a "ping" and a tall and very handsome man walked out. Kurt drew in a quick breath. He recognized the man from the Anderson family photos immediately, and apparently his luck was holding out, because it was Cooper Anderson who had just walked into the lobby.

Kurt hurried forward before Cooper had a chance to leave the building. "I'm sorry to bother you," Kurt said, stopping in front of him. "I… um… I'm not sure how to… explain this."

The man smiled at him, and Kurt was silenced for a second because of the magnitude of that smile. "You want an autograph, don't you?"

"I… What?"

"I don't get this in New York very often - my commercial mostly runs in the midwest - but I'm always happy to meet a fan."

Kurt had no idea what he was talking about, but it kept Cooper Anderson from just walking past him, so Kurt went with it. "Okay… Yes. Great. I'd love an autograph."

Cooper looked at him expectantly, and Kurt patted his pockets and then fished out a crumpled receipt. "I don't really have anything…"

Cooper smiled again. "I'm sure the porter has something." Kurt followed him to the front desk.

"I was actually meeting a friend here…" Kurt said. "You haven't seen-" and then Kurt stopped short. What was he going to ask?  _You haven't seen anyone who looks exactly like your dead brother, have you?_ Because of course Cooper hadn't, or he wouldn't be acting so nonchalant. Kurt redirected the question. "Has anyone tried to see you this evening?"

Cooper lifted his eyebrows with an amused expression that reminded Kurt so much of B that his stomach twisted.

"No?" Cooper answered. "Was someone supposed to?"

"Just looking for a friend," Kurt answered, mouth dry. If B wasn't here,  _where was he_?

"What's your name?" Cooper asked.

"What?" Kurt was looking around the lobby distractedly.

"For the autograph?"

"Oh… Um. Kurt. Kurt Hummel."

Cooper signed a piece of paper with a flourish and then handed it over. "Always nice to meet a fan," he repeated, putting on the dark gray homburg hat he'd been carrying and tipping it to Kurt. "Have a good evening."

Kurt watched him go with a tense feeling running through his body. He had no idea what to do to find B now, and equally no idea of how much trouble B was in.

He walked out of the building and pulled out his phone with trembling hands. He'd call his dad. Burt wouldn't be able to do much for him, but Kurt was close to panicking and his dad would at least know how to help him calm down.

Instead, a text came in, and  _thank god_ , it was from B.  


_I'm so sorry, Kurt. I'm near the Beekman Theatre. Can you come?_

Kurt breathed a sigh of relief, wanting to cry. He had no idea what B was doing at the Beekman Theatre, but at least it was close, and B was contacting him again. He dialed B's number even as he stood on the curb and held his arm up for a cab.

It only rang once before B answered.

"I'm sorry, Kurt. I'm so sorry."

"B. It's okay. I'm nearby and coming to you."

"I'm so sorry," B repeated, and Kurt could hear the tears in his voice.

" _Oh, baby,_ " Kurt exhaled as a taxi pulled up and he climbed in. "Are you hurt? What's going on?"

He heard B sniff. "I'm not hurt. I… I did shut off again…"

Kurt squeezed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose as he told the taxi driver where to go. "But you're alright?"

"I'm not hurt," B repeated, but he didn't sound alright.

Kurt stayed on the phone with him until he arrived at the theater. People were outside, lined up for tickets and standing in groups talking. He couldn't see B anywhere.

"Where are you?"

"Um... The alleyway. Stage right," B said in an unsteady voice.

Kurt felt his stomach flip over as he suddenly realized why B had come here.

The alleyway outside of Beekman Theater was where Blaine Anderson had been attacked.

"Oh god, B," Kurt said as he rounded the corner, not hanging up until he saw a form hunched down on the ground, shivering. He used his phone as a flashlight - it was a little darker in the alley than it was on the street - and made his way to B, huddled and hugging his knees tight to his chest.

Kurt sat down next to him, hardly thinking about how the nasty ground would ruin his pants as he wrapped his arms around B. B immediately leaned into him, crying hard.

They were both quiet for a little while, besides B's sobs and Kurt's soft murmurs of comfort. Kurt just held him, rocking back and forth a little as B clung to the front of his shirt, face buried in his shoulder. Kurt rubbed his back and played with his hair.

"You're okay, B. You're okay."

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," B finally hiccupped out, and Kurt just held him tighter.

"Don't be sorry, B. Just tell me what is going on."

B sniffled and breathed in. His tears had quieted, but he still kept hold of Kurt like a lifeline. "I h- had to know what happened to… to him. I… I had to know."

"I found your research," Kurt said. "But why would you come  _here_?"

"I…. I don't know…" B stuttered. "I just… I couldn't h-help it."

Kurt held B until his tears dried up, and then he tipped B's chin up to look at his face. "Did you pass out here?"

"As soon as I saw the alley, I texted you, because the headache got really bad… and then… it was black and there were these… sounds. I don't know." He took in a shaky breath. "I woke up on the ground. I was lying where  _he_ must have been once."

Kurt nodded and wiped his own teary eyes.

"I think…" B looked down and took a long deep breath. "I've been here before."

"What does that mean?" Kurt asked, shivering in the cold and with the thoughts of what it must have been like to find Blaine Anderson lying in this alleyway, beaten and bleeding. And the picture in his mind of B laying here shut down and stone cold. It made his stomach roll.

B looked up again. "This is it. This is the place where all of my nightmares happen. This alley. I've been here before."

"You mean Blaine has been here."

"I think it might be the same thing."

Kurt looked closely at B's face in the dim light of the alleyway, tear-stained and heartrending. "You aren't him, B," Kurt said softly.

"As soon as I heard his name, I started to wonder," B answered. "I picked the name B because it seemed right, like I knew my name started with a B. And then I heard  _Blaine Anderson,_ and it never felt like I was learning about someone else, it feels like I'm learning about myself. Why else would I be the way I am? I think like a human. I feel like a human. Did you know Blaine Anderson studied music and theater at NYC before his attack? Do you know how many pictures I found of him wearing the exact kind of clothes I like? And he was gay. And he gelled his hair down the same way I do..." B shook his head. "I feel like, if I'm  _not_ him, then I've stolen his life… and it makes me feel so… so  _guilty_."  


"B, no," Kurt said, chest tight and breath shallow. He didn't know what to do with all this information. "You have nothing to feel guilty about. You didn't take anything from anyone. If you are the way you are because of Blaine, then… Then that's a miracle, B. It doesn't have to be a bad thing. Just know that I love you. I love you for who you are  _right now_."

B smiled a little, wiped his eye and readjusted his eye patch, which had gotten crooked as he'd leaned against Kurt. "I love you too."

"Now  _please_ let me take you away from this awful place," Kurt begged.

"Yeah, that'd be good," B agreed as Kurt helped him to his feet.

"If you need to know more about Blaine or the Andersons, that's fine. But we  _have_ to do this together," Kurt said sternly. "Or you are going to make me go prematurely gray." Kurt smiled at him, trying to lighten the mood as they walked back out to the street.

"You'd look very dashing with gray hair."

"Be that as it may, I'd like to put it off for another decade or so."

"I won't ever go gray, Kurt. Doesn't that bother you?"

Kurt swallowed down the pain in his chest. "We have a lot on our plate right now. Can we save that conversation for another time?"

"Whatever you want, Kurt," B said, leaning in with his eye closed and kissing him lightly on the cheek.

"I just want  _you_ ," Kurt said, looping their arms together.

B smiled brightly, and it was a relief to see it. "You're very dashing now," he said with a small laugh as Kurt tried to hail a cab yet again.

Kurt started to relax. His worries seemed to be piling up on him, but hearing B's laugh made it all seem a bit more bearable, at least for now.

In the back of his head, though, the idea that B  _was_ somehow Blaine Anderson stung like a wound. Because if B was Blaine, then B had a whole other life, one that he might eventually want to go back to. Kurt felt ashamed even thinking it, because he should want good things for B, but if B went back to this old life... would there still be room in it for Kurt?

 


	18. Memories & Visitors

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Look another update! I'm trying not to keep you hanging too long on these. Also, just something I'm excited about, there is art being worked on for this which look forward to showing you when it is done (It isn't being done by me, no, it will actually be good and by an actual artist!)
> 
> Thanks for reading and for reviewing and favorite-ing and everything else you lovely people have been doing. xo

Kurt called Dr. Lemaire first thing on Tuesday morning only to find out that the doctor was away on an unexpected trip. “When will he be back?” Kurt asked glancing at B who was watching the conversation with interest.  
  
"We aren’t sure.” The assistant answered. “He didn’t say.”  
  
“Right.” Kurt sighed. “When he does get back in will you please ask him to call Kurt Hummel? He’ll know what it’s about.”  
  
The assistant agreed and Kurt hung up the phone turning to B and trying to not let his face show his concern.  
  
“Where’d Dr. Lemaire go?” B asked.  
  
“They don’t know.”  
  
B put his hands on his hips, “That’s okay.” He nodded resolutely. “I feel pretty good today, and I’m not going to do anymore investigating Blaine Anderson on my own… I should be fine until Dr. Lemaire gets back.”  
  
Kurt watched B put on a brave face and sighed. “You only have that one class this afternoon.” Kurt said walking up to him. “Want to come sit in on some of my classes at NAYDA this morning?”  
  
B smiled knowingly. “You want to keep an eye on me.”  
  
“Well let’s see… the last two times I’ve let you out of my sight you were kidnapped and then disappeared and passed out alone in some dingy alley. So yeah B, I want to keep an eye on you.” Kurt smiled to try to make his words seem lighter.  
  
“I didn’t pass out.” B said looking down. “Passing out is something humans do. I shut off Kurt. I just… it isn’t even like sleeping.” He looked back up at Kurt with a wide eye. “Where do you think I go when I’m not on? It’s like I just… stop existing for a moment. There isn’t anything human that’s comparable.”  
  
Kurt let out a slow breath and leaned forward to cup the back of Blaine’s neck with his hand and tipping their foreheads together. “I wish I had answers for you B, but even growing up with androids these are things I’ve never thought about before.”  
  
B nodded and moved the inch or two it took to kiss Kurt’s lips. Kurt kissed him back and tried not to think about what would happen if one day B shut off and didn’t turn back on again. _It’s like dying._  B had said, and that’s exactly what it would be.  
  
“Since we can’t…” B tried to speak between kisses. “Can’t see Dr. Lemaire…” He kissed the corner of Kurt’s lips. “We should just try to do some normal things.” He kissed Kurt jaw and Kurt moaned a little. “We should…” another press of the lips. “Have Rachel or Elliot over or something.”  
  
B pulled back to look at Kurt.  “What do you think?”  
  
Kurt was breathing a little heavily. “Yeah…” He said hoarsely. “Yeah okay.”  
  
B smiled, he knew exactly what he was doing distracting Kurt and Kurt loved him for it. “And yes, I’d like to sit in on some of your NAYDA classes today.”  
  
“Good.” Kurt said reaching for B’s hand and clearing his throat. “I’ve wanted to show off my boyfriend.”  
  
B laughed happily at that.  
  
“Make everyone jealous.” Kurt said with a wink.  
  
B seemed in awe of NYADA, he was able to sit in on several of Kurt’s classes, including his advanced acting class and hear Kurt perform a monologue and Kurt wasn’t even embarrassed when B cheered and clapped for him as he finished. Everyone at school loved B, he was attractive and charming and wasn’t a student or a performer so not competition for anyone.  
  
“My  _my_  Hummel, where have you been hiding him?” Chandler a fellow student said when he was introduced to B.  
  
“I haven’t been hiding him.” Kurt smiled.  
  
“It’s nice to meet you.” B smiled shaking Chandler’s hand.  
  
“Oh trust me, the pleasure is mine.”  
  
Kurt laughed and pulled B away. B had gotten similar reactions all day; he seemed to be well liked.  
  
“The people here are really nice.” B said happily.  
  
“The people here are hitting on you because you're handsome and fresh meat.” Kurt said smiling.  
  
“And because they don’t know I’m a droid.” B added.  
  
Kurt frowned. “I don’t think you understand how devastatingly attractive you are B. They’d be hitting on you either way.”  
  
B blushed and reached for Kurt’s hand. “I like it here. I think I would have enjoyed going to NYADA if I hadn’t gone to NYU.”  
  
Kurt stopped short and looked at B who didn’t even seem to realize what he’d said. “What?”  
  
B furrowed his brow before his eyebrows shot up. “Um… I mean the learning annex? I don’t know why I said that.”  
  
Kurt swallowed. “Do you have memories of going to NYU?”  
  
B paused and thought for a moment. “No. I really don’t."  
  
Kurt nodded and squeezed his hand, “Maybe we should go walk around the NYU campus sometime, see if it triggers any memories?” Kurt was so scared of B remembering things and becoming Blaine, a person who didn’t know Kurt and may not want him, but he wasn’t going to stop B from finding out who he was.  
  
“Maybe.” B said with a serious look on his face.  
  
“Just… don’t go there by yourself?” Kurt asked.  
  
B shook his head. “I promise I’m not doing anything else like that on my own. I wouldn’t do that to you.”  
  
Kurt nodded and smiled and changed the subject by asked if B wanted Greek for lunch.  
  
They invited Rachel and Elliot for dinner that evening but they weren’t both available until Thursday evening. Kurt was relieved when Thursday rolled around, he’d been uneasy all week despite B’s attempts to distract and comfort him. It was nice to just make fajitas and guacamole with B, bumping hips and flirting and not worry about anything for a while. Rachel brought tequila and margarita mix and soon the worries of the past week started to roll off of Kurt’s shoulders.  
  
They were sitting in the living room after dinner laughing and talking. Kurt was sitting so close to B on the couch he was practically in his lap and B had his arm around Kurt’s back and kept nuzzling his neck. Kurt was feeling good.  
  
“See I wish I’d been in a glee club back in High School.” Elliot said after Rachel had giddily told him the story of her writing a song about a headband, actually thinking they could sing it for competition. “We had choir, but not show choir.”  
  
“Oh you would have been amazing.” Rachel gushed.  
  
“I do miss the New Directions sometimes.” Kurt added. “It was so much drama, but I made some of my best friends in that club.”  
  
“And you were pretty good right?” Elliot asked, “You made it to Nationals in one of your first years as a club?”  
  
“Our second year.” Rachel said triumphantly not mentioning that they didn’t even place that year at Nationals.  
  
“You’re lucky I didn’t join the Warblers until the year after that.” B said. “We would have given you a run for your money.”  
  
The conversation fell quiet.  
  
“You were… in the Warblers?” Rachel asked confused, looking back and forth between B and Kurt for an explanation.  
  
“I…” B looked at Kurt a little panicked and Kurt just held his breath and put a hand on B’s knee.  
  
“What do you remember B?” Kurt asked in a small voice.  
  
“I… I remember singing. I remember navy and red blazers…”  
  
Kurt nodded thinking back to the picture on Sebastian’s desk. He hadn’t put that together until now. Those prep school uniforms were Dalton Academy uniforms.  
  
“I snuck into Dalton once.” Kurt said. “I wanted to learn about the Warblers. They were good.”  
  
“What year was that?” B asked.  
  
“2010"  
  
B nodded. “Blaine was in Paris going to school then. So was Sebastian, we joined the Warblers the year after that. I don’t think they ever went up against New Directions once we joined.”  
  
“No they redrew the district lines.” Rachel said as Kurt’s stomach turned over.  
  
“What else do you remember?” He asked.  
  
“I… nothing.” B shook his head. “That’s all a little foggy as it is.”  
  
Elliot and Rachel had already been filled in with what was going on with B and right now Kurt was grateful for that because he couldn’t think of a single thing to say.  
  
“But the Warblers did perform after Blaine joined right?” Elliot asked. “Just not against the New Directions?”  
  
B shrugged, “I think so.”  
  
Elliot got up and walked to his bag hung up by the front door. He came back to the couch and pulled out a tablet. “Let’s look it up!” It only took a simple search of Dalton Warblers Ohio 2011 before Elliot was pulling up a YouTube video. All four of them squished together on the couch to watch.  
  
Kurt’s heart was beating heavy against his chest as the lights came up on a stage and a group of navy clad school boys started doo-waping, Kurt noticed that Sebastian was one of them. Then a teenaged, curly haired boy walked on stage belting the solo for Lady Antebellum’s  _Just A Kiss_. It was clearly Blaine Anderson, singing with all his heart and bouncing around the stage.  
  
Kurt pulled his eyes away from the screen to watch B, afraid that this might give him a headache and make him shut off. B continued to watch the screen, his face an impassive mask. What must it be like to watch someone who looks just like you? Did B remember doing this himself? Or was it like watching someone who had your face?  
  
When the video ended everyone was quiet for a moment. “Wow.” Elliot said. “They really were good. Did they win Sectionals?”  
  
“No.” B answered. “The Warblers were busted for cheating that year. Not all of them, but some of them were taking steroids. We were banned from competition after that.”  
  
_Oh god, B did remember this._  Kurt tried hard not to let his face show his growing fear.  
  
B looked up at Kurt. “Blaine didn’t cheat.” He said quickly, like it was important that Kurt knew that. “I didn’t even know the cheating was going on. Um... he didn’t. He didn’t know.”  
  
“Well…” Rachel started, but then stopped as if she had no idea what to add.  
  
B stood up from the couch. “I’m going… to go clean up the kitchen.” He said walking away and Kurt looked at Rachel and Elliot with a lost expression.  
  
_“Should we go?_ ” Rachel asked under her breath.  
  
“Maybe?” Kurt said. “I’m sorry. I think B and I need to talk about this.”  
  
“Sure, of course.” Elliot said standing and reaching a hand down to help Rachel up. “But we can stay if you need us.” He added quietly.  
  
“No.” Kurt hugged his arms around his stomach feeling edgy. “I’ll call you tomorrow though.”  
  
Rachel leaned in giving Kurt a kiss on the cheek before waving to B in the kitchen, “See you soon B. I had a great time!”  
  
B waved back at her distracted. Elliot squeezed Kurt’s shoulder encouragingly before he said good bye to B as well.  
  
Once they left Kurt joined B in the kitchen, he was standing over the sink and washing some dishes. Kurt wrapped his arms around him from behind and rested his chin on B’s shoulder. “Are you okay?”  
  
“Headache.” B answered.  
  
Kurt’s heart thudded. Don’t panic Kurt, he doesn’t need that. Kurt reached forward and turned off the water before grabbing B’s hands and drying them. “Come with me.”  
  
He led B back to his bedroom, sitting him down on the bed. “I can help with the headache.” Kurt said going to the desk and pulling out a small android tool kit.  
  
“It’s weird.” B said. “I can remember things, but only spottily and they fade in and out. How do you think that is possible?”  
  
Kurt came and sat next to him on the bed. “They said that the B line was made to connect with Blaine Anderson right?”  
  
“Yes, but they also said it didn’t work.”  
  
“Well… maybe it worked better than they thought.” Kurt slid the panel in B’s neck open. “Do you feel like you’re  seeing someone else’s memories? Or do they feel like your own?” Kurt asked as he tweaked a few things to help with B’s headache.  
  
“They feel like my memories when I first get them, but then they start to fade like a dream and… and I don’t know.”  
  
“You know if Blaine had come to Ohio a year earlier I would have met him.” Kurt said finishing up and trying to keep things light. He looked at B with a smile, “Does that feel any better?”  
  
B nodded. “Do you think you would have like Blaine?”  
  
Kurt smiled and closed the panel. “If he was anything like you? Absolutely. Plus,” Kurt said meeting B’s eyes. “He was really cute.”  
  
B grinned and laughed a little. “It’s sad though, isn’t it?” B asked his smile slipping.  
  
Kurt let out a heavy sigh. “What happened to him is tragic, but you having some of his memories, that  _doesn’t_  have to be tragic. It’s like… he gets to live on.”  
  
“I feel like we should tell Sebastian.”  
  
“Sebastian didn’t seem interested in hearing it B.” Kurt said quickly. He really didn’t want to have anything to do with Sebastian Smythe.  
  
“That’s when he thought I was just an android that looked like his friend. Doesn’t he deserve to know I have some of Blaine’s memories? They were friends, they grew up together. B came home from school in Paris to go to Dalton with Seb.”  
  
Kurt tried not to winch at the nickname. B seemed to know more about Sebastian then Sebastian had ever told them. Kurt bit his lip and closed his eyes for a moment building the courage he needed to ask this next question. He opened his eyes again to see B looking at him with concern. “Were you and Sebastian… or um Blaine and Sebastian. Were they… dating?”  
  
“No.” B answered immediately, but then looked confused. “I mean… I don’t know for sure.”  
  
Kurt placed a hand on B’s back and started rubbing slow circles as B winched and reached up to rub his temple.  
  
“The headache is back all ready?” Kurt asked in concern.  
  
“I keep hearing things…” B voice sounded off. “Why won’t the noises go away?”  
  
“B.” Kurt sat forward feeling a little panicky. “What noises?  
  
B looked at him and his expression was nothing short of pure dread, and then his face went blank and he fell backwards on the bed. Kurt let out a small shout of shock and then immediately leaned over him. “Oh god, B?” Kurt’s hands hovered over his shut down boyfriend not knowing what to do to help him.  
  
“B  _please_!” He slid open the panel in B’s neck again and started losing some parts that might have caused B to have a headache. Kurt’s hands were shaking as he worked. “Come on sweetheart, wake up. I… need you to wake up!”  
  
B was completely motionless with his eye closed.  
  
Kurt covered his mouth with a hand to hold in a sob. He got off the bed and hurried to the living room to get his phone. He was dialing his dad’s number before he even got back to his bedroom. B was still unmoving on the bed. Burt was an award winning engineer; surely he’d know what to do.  
  
The phone rang as Kurt sat down next to B, but it went to voicemail. “Dad.” Kurt choked out. “I need your help.  _Please, please_  call me.”  
  
Kurt pressed B’s neck trying desperately to turn him back on, he’d never spontaneously shut down for this long before. Kurt hung up the phone and laid down next to B resting his head on B’s chest. “I don’t know what to do.” He whimpered and then dialed Dr. Lemaire’s number, but no one answered.  
  
Kurt clutched at B’s shirt and tried to think of who else to call that might be able to help. He’d even call Sebastian Smythe right now if he knew how to get in touch with him.  
  
“Please B. Please wake up.” Kurt begged, tears rolling down his face to be soaked up by B’s shirt.  
  
Kurt waited, holding B and feeling powerless, the minutes ticked on.  
  
B breathed in a deep breath like someone coming up from water and sat up straight toppling Kurt right off of him.  
  
“B!” Kurt shouted and B looked at him with a wide eye and a frantic look on his face. “Oh god, oh god, oh god.” Kurt cried and then threw his arms around B and clung to him. B slowly lifted his arms to hold Kurt back.  
  
“I’m okay.” B whispered. “It’s okay Kurt.” He rubbed Kurt’s back softly. “I’m here… it’s okay.”  
  
“I... I don’t know how to help you when that happens.” Kurt sniffed. “And I never know if you’re going to wake up again.”  
  
B pulled back slightly to wipe tears from Kurt’s cheeks and Kurt’s eyes fluttered closed at the gentle touch as he leaned his face against B’s palm and then felt B’s lips on his. “I’m sorry.” B breathed.  
  
“Don’t be sorry.” Kurt said burrowing himself against B. “It isn’t your fault.”  
  
“I don’t want to scare you.”  
  
Kurt sighed. “I think you’re right, we need to contact Sebastian.”  
  
B stiffened a little. “We should, but was under the impression you didn’t like him.”  
  
“I’m not sure I do, but… we can’t get in touch with Dr. Lemaire and Sebastian Smythe is the only other person we know who knows anything about you. And… _we need help B_.”  
  
“Okay.” B agreed.  
  
Kurt pulled back from B’s embrace to look him in the face. “I love you and… I don’t want to  _lose you_.”  
  
B smiled. “I love you too.”  
  
Kurt kissed him and then sighed rubbing his eyes. “What noises did you hear before you shut off B?” Kurt asked remembering B’s confusion and fear.  
  
“I…” B paused. “I don’t know. I think it was people talking? I would have sworn I heard my name.”  
  
“You heard someone call you B?”  
  
“No.”  
  
“Blaine.” Kurt said understanding.  
  
“It sounds crazy doesn’t it?” B asked worrying his lip.  
  
“I think our bar for crazy is pretty low right now.” Kurt said brushing hair out of his face with a shaky hand.  
  
“You’re tired.” B reached for Kurt’s hand and kissed it softly. “How about we call it a night?”  
  
Kurt felt like they needed to do something  _right then_  to help B, but what was there to do? “Okay.” Kurt’s momentary spike of fear had left him exhausted.    
  
While they got ready for bed Kurt’s phone rang.  
  
Burt. Kurt had left that frantic voice mail and then never called him back.  
  
“Hello? Dad?” Kurt quickly answered.  
  
“What’s wrong Kurt?” Burt’s voice was strained and Kurt winced.  
  
“It was B… he shut off again and I didn’t know what to do.”  
  
“Is he okay now?” Burt still sounded anxious.  
  
“Yes.” Kurt said glancing over at B who was crawling into bed.  
  
_“Is your dad okay?”_  B mouthed.  
  
Kurt nodded and mouthed back, _“Just worried about you.”_ _  
  
_ “These periods of shutting off are getting worse aren’t they?” Burt asked and Kurt rubbed his head.  
  
“Yeah, they are.”  
  
“Listen bud, I could leave the shop this weekend, come up there and take a look at him if you wanted.”  
  
Kurt almost started to cry, just the idea of his dad coming here such a huge relief. “I would really appreciate that dad. If it isn’t any trouble.”  
  
“It’s never trouble to be there for you or B.” Burt answered and Kurt smiled.  
  
“Thanks dad.”  
  
They talked a little longer while Kurt did his moisturizing routine and when they hung up Kurt crawled into bed with B.  
  
“My dad is going to come visit.” He said laying down and snuggling up against B’s side.  
  
“That’s... a relief.” B let out a long breath.  
  
“We should have had him come up as soon as this started happening.” Kurt agreed. “I still think we might need to talk to Sebastian though.”  
  
“Yeah.” B said kissing Kurt’s cheek. “I want to see him.”  
  
Kurt was quiet for a long time, thinking of a young Blaine switching schools and following Sebastian across continents so they could go to school together. If there was anyone else they could talk to about this Kurt would pick them, but it seemed it had to be Sebastian.  
  
“Good night Kurt.” B said sleepily.  
  
“Good night B.”  
  
Kurt didn’t know how long he’d been asleep when he was torn out of his slumber by a loud noise. He looked at B thinking he was having another nightmare, but B was still fast asleep, breathing peacefully. Kurt waited for a moment trying to figure out what he had heard. Then it came again, a loud banging on the front door.  
  
Kurt started. B was still sleeping through it and Kurt glanced at the clock to see it was nearly midnight, he was just going to ignore whoever it was, but the pounding started again sounding urgent.  
  
Kurt wiggled out from under B who was resting his head on Kurt’s chest, he stood and then leaned down to drop a kiss to B’s temple, he couldn’t help it when B snuggled into the bed so adorably. Kurt crept to the front room and looked out the peephole of the front door to the lit hallway of the apartment building. Someone was standing there… a man. Kurt drew in a gasp when he recognized who it was. There was another loud hammer on the door and Kurt unlocked and opened it quickly.  
  
The man outside his doorway ran a hand anxiously through his dark hair and looked at Kurt with apprehension. “Kurt Hummel?” Cooper Anderson said. “How the hell do you know my brother?”


	19. Brothers & Ferris Wheels

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Sorry for the wait on this chapter. Sometimes my life gets busy and doesn't let me put fic writing first. Silly life.  
> I always like to know when the end is nigh (so to speak) with a fic, so heads up we only have a few chapters left of this one. Then I hope to have time to co-write the fic H T Elia and I are planning.
> 
> I know I say this almost every time, but thank you all for reading, it means a lot to me! xoxo

Kurt's hand was still on the door as Cooper Anderson burst in. "You were in my apartment building, but you weren't there to see me, were you?" he asked before Kurt could even catch up with what was going on or why there was an Anderson in his home.

"I um… I was looking for a friend," Kurt finally answered, remembering what he had told Cooper the day he mistakenly went to Cooper's apartment building to find B.

"How do you know my brother?" Cooper repeated.

Kurt couldn't understand what was going on. What was Cooper Anderson doing here? How did he even know where to find him? Kurt had so many questions, but "What brother?" was what came out of his mouth first.

"What brother!" Cooper was very obviously on edge, trembling slightly, loud and waving his arms around as he spoke. He wore jeans and a gray T-shirt and looked tired and frantic. "My _only_ brother. Blaine."

"I- I never knew Blaine," Kurt answered truthfully. "I didn't get the chance to meet him before he… Before he passed away."

Cooper's mouth snapped closed and his arms dropped by his side. His whole tense demeanor changed, his shoulders slumped and his face was blank.

"I'm sorry," Kurt whispered, still not knowing what to do, but hating the look on Cooper's face. Kurt knew what it felt like to lose a brother.

"Blaine didn't die," Cooper said, and Kurt just stood in silence, not understanding. "Blaine isn't… He…" Cooper closed his eyes and ran a hand across his forehead. "You're saying you've never met him?" Cooper asked, opening his eyes again.

Kurt shook his head, trying to keep up. Thinking back to everything Sebastian had said about Blaine Anderson, everything he'd read. Someone had said Blaine died… Hadn't they?

"What's going on?"

Kurt's heart jumped to his throat at the sound of B's voice. He turned his head in time with Cooper to see B standing at the end of the hall, looking small and sleepy in his pajamas and sleep-messed hair.

"Oh, god," Kurt said as Cooper and B stared at each other. B's mouth opened, but he didn't say anything.

"I… can explain." Kurt said to Cooper, waiting for him to freak out.

Cooper blinked a few times at B, as if trying to process what he was looking at, and then turned back to Kurt, his eyes wide and his cheeks flushed. "Where did you get him?"

"What?" Kurt asked helplessly, feeling like things were on the verge of slipping out of control.

Cooper pointed at B. "B821. Where did you get him?" If Cooper had sounded distressed before, he sounded almost angry now. Enough for B to move from where he was standing and slip next to Kurt, grabbing his hand. He even took a step forward so he could easily move himself between Kurt and Cooper if he needed to.

Kurt still found himself mute. Not a single word would come to his lips as Cooper threw daggers at him with his eyes.

"If you have questions about me," B said steadily, "then you can ask me."

Cooper's eyes shifted from Kurt's face to B's, and his expression softened. "Say that again."

B furrowed his brows. "If you have questions about me, I'll answer them. There isn't any reason for you to be mad at Kurt."

Cooper's lips twitched, and then a smile grew on his face. "That's amazing. Say something else."

"I… What?" B asked, obviously confused.

"Last time I saw you, you could barely talk and now you sound… intelligent and confident and like… like…" Cooper's smile faded. "God, you sound just like Squirt."

B rolled his eyes. "Don't call me that."

Cooper breathed in sharply and then let out a long breath. "That's exactly what Blaine would say too."

Kurt was watching them, trying to figure out what was happening, but not getting anywhere. "Will someone please tell me what's going on?"

B looked at him and squeezed his hand. "I don't know."

"You then," Kurt said to Cooper. "Why are you here at our apartment in the middle of the night?"

Cooper ran a hand through his hair again, his whole posture tense. He really did look exhausted. "I'll answer your questions if you answer mine," Cooper said. "Can we start with how you have a piece of stolen Smythe tech?"

"A piece of tech?" Kurt asked incredulously. "You mean B? He isn't some random piece of tech." Kurt could feel his cheeks growing hot in anger.

Cooper held up his hands in surrender. "Sorry, I didn't mean to offend. Just… He was stolen and then disappeared."

"If you are implying that I stole him: I didn't. We purchased him. I have papers to prove it," Kurt said, taking a step forward, now shielding B where he'd been shielding Kurt before.

"Okay, okay," Cooper said, still sounding placid. "Can we start over? And can I please sit down? I've had a…. an emotional and tiring week."

" _Well then what are you doing, waking people up in the middle of the night_ ," Kurt murmured as he and B walked into the living room and Cooper followed.

Kurt sat on the couch, B next to him. Cooper took a nearby chair. Kurt knew the animosity he was feeling towards Cooper was really just fear. Sebastian had used that stolen android stuff to try to take B from him, and Kurt wasn't going to stand for any more of that.

"How did you know I was B821?" B asked, starting things off.

Cooper chuckled a little, incredulously. "You have no idea how weird this is for me. To be talking to someone who looks so…." He paused for a moment and then cleared his throat. "That's an easy question. B821 is the only B line droid that wasn't destroyed," Cooper said with a shrug. "You were stolen. Do you remember that?"

"I…" B swallowed nervously. "I don't."

"Are you hoping he'd know who stole him?" Kurt spoke up.

"Oh, no," Cooper said, with a wave of his hand. "That's easy too. I stole him."

"You…" Kurt stared at Cooper for a moment. "You what?"

"They were breaking down and destroying all the B line droids, even the one droid that I thought was showing promise." He looked at B. "I thought my dad was giving up on the project prematurely. He was the one who ordered it to be shut down, you know. So I took B821 to try and work on him in secret. I had a friend help, or someone I thought was a friend. He was going to hide him for me, but then… well, he stole my stolen droid."

Cooper was taking all of this so calmly, and talking about B's past with such nonchalance that Kurt could hardly believe this was happening. But he had started to warm to Cooper. If nothing else, he'd saved B's life by stealing him before he could be destroyed. Kurt shivered to think of B being broken down like the rest of the B line. Kurt would never even have known him.

"So you aren't surprised to see me?" B asked. His face was scrunched up in confusion. Kurt could only imagine how difficult this all was for him to take in.

"I mean, yes, I am… a little." Cooper leaned forward, elbows on his knees, to talk to B. "I didn't expect to find you here of all places. In fact, I didn't think I'd ever find you again. It was a little jarring to have you suddenly appear. For a split second, I thought you were Blaine, but that's not possible, and besides…" Cooper tapped his head right next to his eye. "Blaine has two."

B's hand went up to the empty socket, where the little red light was blinking steadily. "Oh… I usually wear an eye patch."

"Wait... Wait. Back up," Kurt said, his heart starting to hammer in his chest. "If you aren't here because you knew I had B, why are you here?"

"To find out how you know my kid brother."

"I don't," Kurt said again. "Up until a minute ago, I thought he was dead."

B looked sharply at Kurt. "Blaine Anderson isn't dead?" His eye was wide and his brows raised. Kurt put a hand on his back, knowing how talking about Blaine affected him.  _Please don't shut off, B_.

"No. Blaine isn't dead. What did you think we made the B line droids for if Blaine had died?"

"You made them to try to connect to Blaine's consciousness while he was in a coma," B answered, and Kurt kept watching him, scared every second that B would collapse. "But Sebastian said it was a failure."

"So you know Sebastian?" Cooper said, raising an eyebrow. "And yeah, everyone thought it failed, but I didn't give up hope so easily. None of that means Blaine died."

"But Sebastian acted like… like he'd lost Blaine," B said, and Kurt rubbed circles on his back, as B's voice started to sound strained.

"No." Cooper shook his head sadly and took a deep breath. "My kid brother has been in a coma for over two years. He didn't die, but the doctors and the engineers… They all gave up on him. Sebastian thinks of him as dead because everyone says he'll never wake up again…" Cooper's voice broke but he pushed on. "My parents wanted to pull the plug, as they say, but I refused to let them. Blaine lives with me now. He has around the clock nurse care and the best equipment money can buy…" Cooper broke off and rubbed his eyes tiredly. "I'd been starting to give up though. Two years is a long time... There were no more B line droids, and Blaine hasn't been improving at all."

Kurt was battling conflicting emotions. He felt so relieved to hear that Blaine Anderson hadn't died, but still… He glanced from Cooper to B and back to Cooper again. He felt so sorry for Cooper and apprehensive at the same time. "If you want B to start experimenting on…" Kurt shook his head. "I'm sorry, because I wish there was something I could do for your brother… but you can't have B."

B glanced at Kurt, and it seemed that for the first time, B realized how tense Kurt was. B smiled softly at him and then leaned in and pressed a kiss to Kurt's cheek.

Cooper looked at them for a long moment, and then his eyes widened. "Oh. Oh. I didn't know it was… like that." He looked a little flustered for a moment, sitting back up in his chair. "Um… I didn't come for him, though, I promise, and I don't think I need him anymore anyway." He smiled, and for a moment looked like the handsome confident man Kurt had met earlier that week. "My brother is waking up."

Kurt's heart thudded in his chest and B sat up straighter. Kurt saw his breathing change and his body stiffen.

"Blaine's been unresponsive for two years," Cooper said, and he couldn't keep the smile off his face. "Depending on machines to keep him alive, but a couple weeks ago, he started… moving? Twitching, and he'd moan. It probably doesn't seem like a lot to you, but trust me, after everything… it's a lot. And this past week, he has had brief moments of wakefulness, and today… well, he said something." Cooper was beaming, tears in his eyes. "The first two words to come from his mouth since his attack."

Kurt tried to keep his hands from shaking. He felt strange suddenly, like he was in a dream where everything seemed real, but you knew it wasn't. He almost wanted to guess what those two words were, even though it made no sense whatsoever. "What did he say?" Kurt breathed.

"Kurt Hummel." Cooper answered.

There was silence again.

"But…" Kurt started.

"And guess who I remembered giving an autograph to just a few days ago? One Kurt Hummel," Cooper continued. "Finding you was easy. I'm rich." Cooper shrugged. "And I have many ties to the world of technology, and someone who owed me a favor. I got your address, and here I am. If the name of some guy is the first sign of life my brother has had since he was almost beaten to death, I figured I should find out why."

"But I never knew your brother," Kurt insisted, a heavy feeling in the pit of his stomach as he squeezed B's hand. B was oddly silent about all of this.

"You must have," Cooper pressed. "Why were you at my apartment the other day?"

"I was looking for B," Kurt said, glancing at him and noticing how anxious B looked, face pale and breathing irregular. "B had been looking up information about Blaine Anderson, and I thought he’d gone to see you."

"Why have you been looking up Blaine?" Cooper asked, looking at B with interest again.

"Because…" B said in a shaky voice. "I was… I was based off of him."

"Only the way you look," Cooper said. "You're your own droid." He smiled. "Whatever personality program Kurt gave you wouldn't have anything to do with Blaine."

"I don't understand," B said, trembling, and Kurt wanted to stop this whole conversation, afraid it was too much for B.

"I mean the B line droids were built to be empty shells," Cooper explained. "No personality, or long-term memory drives, they were just there for Blaine to use," Cooper explained. "So whoever added all that stuff in you is the one who made you who you are." Cooper looked at Kurt, obviously assuming it was him who’d modified B.

"We didn't add anything like that," Kurt explained. "My dad gave B his eye and repaired some things, but otherwise didn't add anything."

"Well… Whoever had him before you must have then."

"You mean the person who stole me from you?" B asked.

"No. That jackass knows nothing about droids." Cooper's expression grew dark. "He's the reason you don't have your original eyes. He took them out, the only piece he knew how to remove, and sent them to me like some kind of… threat. He wanted me to pay a ransom. Which I would have at the time. I was still hoping B821 could save my brother. But he never showed up to the meeting place. Got spooked, I guess. My sources say he left Ohio and headed out of the country. He must have dumped B first."

Kurt felt a little shaky, and he scooted even closer to B. He knew he'd been stolen and obviously had lost his eyes somewhere along to line, but all that sounded so scary and… _violent_. He was glad B didn't remember any of it. "God.," Kurt said. "That's horrible."

"I was really upset at the time," Cooper admitted. "I was in the middle of moving to New York to take care of Blaine and I had this droid I thought was the answer and then… It was just all gone." He glanced at B. "You don't remember any of that? I guess that isn't a bad thing."

B didn't seem to be paying attention, though. He licked his lips and took a deep breath. "You wanted to be an actor," he said to Cooper out of the blue. "But dad wanted you to work for the company." B rubbed his temples. "When I went to NYU, I mean Blaine… You told him not to worry about what dad thought, that he should pursue his dreams for the both of you."

"B." Kurt said worriedly.

"How… How do you know that?" Cooper had gone a little pale.

"I _do_ think I have Blaine's personality," B said, and he was starting to shake. "I know you're saying I couldn't, but…"

"B, please," Kurt begged. "Think of something else."

"I have some of Blaine's memories too," B continued, and rubbed his temple as he winced.

"If you shut off, I can't help you," Kurt said desperately, bringing his hands to B's face, making B look at him. "I'm so scared of losing you, B, please." Kurt could tell B had another headache, and talking about Blaine never ended well. Kurt's heart thudded in his ears. He was terrified that one of these times, B was going to shut off and that would be the end.

"I don't want to lose you either," B said. "But I can't help it… I'm just… I'm remembering things."

"Try not to," Kurt insisted. He felt a bit selfish asking for this, but B really couldn't risk it. At least not until they figured out what was going on with him. "Please think of something else."

"Kurt…" B whispered, his face wan and his eye teary. "I think I know what these noises are now."

"No." Kurt cried and leaned their foreheads together; he was desperately trying to think of something to distract B with. "Your list!" he burst out. "Tell me about your to-do list. What haven't we crossed off yet?"

"I…" B blinked. "I kissed you," he smiled.

"I know you did. It was wonderful. It's wonderful every time you kiss me."

B's eye seemed unfocused, and he was still shaking. "I want to… I want to see the Pacific Ocean."

"Good. I like that. We can do that, take a trip to the west coast. What else?" Kurt asked, keeping B close.

"Cooper, you wanted to move to California," B said hoarsely, trying to look at Cooper, who was silent through all this, but Kurt wouldn't let B look away from him.

"What else is on the list?" Kurt said, swiping the pad of his thumb gently over B's cheek. "We saw a Broadway show, and you flew on an airplane."

"I want to ride a ferris wheel."

"We can do that too!" Kurt said, grabbing on to anything that made B focus on something other than Blaine's memories. "That's an easy one. We can go to Coney Island, and get hot dogs and make a day of it." Kurt's voice shook, but he tried to smile comfortingly.

"Kurt, my head hurts," B whimpered, and Kurt didn't know what to do.

"I know, baby," Kurt said with a sniff, just now realizing he was crying. "Please try to fight it."

"Kurt…" B leaned forward and placed a soft kiss to Kurt's lips. "I think it's going to be okay," B whispered and then his eye closed and his whole body slumped forward, crumpling into Kurt.

"B? B! No. No!" Kurt shouted and lifted B off him only to find he was a dead weight. "Wake up!"

He gently laid B back on the couch and then knelt by him. "B, you can't do this."

Cooper, who had watched all of this in silence, was by Kurt's side in an instant. "What is going on?"

"B… He shuts – shuts down sometimes." Kurt worked to swallow down his tears. "He just completely turns off, and there is no way to turn him back on."

"There has to be a way," Cooper said, leaning over him and pressing on B's neck.

"He's always just turned back on as suddenly as… as he shut off," Kurt explained, feeling sick. "But it happens more and more and he keeps staying off longer."

"And you're afraid he isn't going to turn on again?"

Kurt looked at Cooper with teary eyes and nodded.

"How long is he usually off?"

"Last time was maybe fifteen minutes? That's the longest it's been."

"And what do you do?"

"I've tried relieving pressure in the panel in his neck, because that can cause headaches, and he always has a headache first."

"Have you ever gone into the panel in his back?" Cooper asked

"N-no. I wouldn't even know what to do to- to help. My dad is an engineer, and I know some stuff, but I don't know how to fix – fix this."

"Well, my dad's an engineer too," Cooper said kindly. "Maybe two engineers’ sons can work on this together."

They carefully turned B over so he was lying on his stomach, and Kurt rushed to his room to get his tool kit. When he came back, B's shirt was off and Cooper had slid the big panel in his back open. It was weird to see B this way: so many wires and chips, and capacitors and slots. B was a machine inside, and Kurt _knew_ that, but he felt a little overwhelmed looking at it.

"What is usually happening with B when he shuts off?" Cooper asked, and Kurt turned his eyes to him and knelt down by the couch.

"Talking about your brother."

"Huh." Cooper looked down at B. "He shuts off when talking about Blaine and he has memories from him." Cooper's face was unreadable, but it seemed that information meant more to him than it did to Kurt.

"Yes, that's right."

"Okay, I’m not sure what's going on, but if the problem is his memory drive, we could reset it."

Kurt took in a sharp breath.

"Not reset his memories," Cooper clarified.

"Right… Just, um... reboot it," Kurt nodded, following what Cooper was suggesting.

"Yeah." Cooper took a tool from Kurt's kit and started unscrewing a protective plate in B's back; he worked slowly and gently, resetting the drive, but making sure he didn't do any damage to B.

Nothing happened.

"Well, damn," Cooper said.

Cooper tried again, and even unhooked some wires and rehooked them. B remained motionless.

Kurt's panic was growing as they attempted a few more fixes to try to reboot B's system, but nothing worked. B was still turned off. Kurt's breathing felt shallow and his hands were shaking.

Eventually, they had expended their limited knowledge and had to give up. Cooper shut the panel in B's back and Kurt sat on the couch, turning B back over and cradling B's head in his lap while watching his face. Kurt ran his fingers through B's hair and couldn't bring himself to look at a clock.

"How long has he been out?" Kurt asked Cooper quietly, eyes still trained on the gentle curves and sharp edges of B's beautiful face.

"Over an hour," Cooper answered in a hushed tone.

A sob caught in Kurt's throat, and he leaned over B, kissing his forehead.

"Oh, god, please don't cry." Cooper said. "I never know what to do." He sat on the arm of the couch next to Kurt and put a hand on his shoulder. "Okay, so we couldn't fix this, but guess what?"

Kurt couldn't even respond, so Cooper just continued. "Guess who is rich and has ties to the world of technology? Not to mention a father who owns the second biggest android company in the United States?"

Kurt looked up at him, blinking tears out of his eyes.

Cooper smiled reassuringly. "Don't give up, kiddo. We are about to call in some favors."


	20. Heartbreak & Blaine Anderson

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Hello all! Sorry about the wait, but I had trouble with this chapter. Grr. And it still ended up being short! Oh well, the next (and final) chapter is almost done and should be up later in the week. Also, I want to take a moment to thank Rocketsurgery for the lovely art she did for this story. I LOVE it and hope you do to! Go check out Rocketsurgery on Tumblr to see more of her amazing art.
> 
> Thank you for reading!

 

 

 

  


* * *

Kurt waited impatiently in the baggage claim area, standing on his toes and scanning over people to see if he could spot his dad. His hands were holding his elbows as his arms wrapped around his middle. He'd called Burt last night while he and Cooper were bringing a still unconscious B to Anderson Corporation's New York research facility. Kurt had tried to sound as calm as possible on the phone, not wanting to worry his father, but Burt knew Kurt too well. He’d changed his flight to arrive the very next day.

Meeting his dad at the airport was the only thing that could have pulled Kurt away from B's side back at Anderson Corp., B who was still and silent and… empty. Kurt swallowed and felt his stomach churn at that word. No, not empty, B wasn't empty, he was just… Kurt didn't know. What was it that B had asked? " _Where do I go when I'm shut off?_ " The question jabbed at him cruelly, because Kurt didn't have an answer.

When Kurt finally spotted his dad in the crowd, he couldn't help but rush past people to get to him and then let his dad wrap him up in a big hug.

"How is he?" Burt asked before anything else. He was worried about B too. Kurt was glad his dad cut to the chase. He didn't have time or energy for meaningless conversation right now.

"He's still shut off," Kurt said, holding his father and feeling Burt's chest inhale in a deep breath.

"But people are working on him." Kurt pulled back and wiped his eyes. "Dad, they don't know what's wrong with him. Cooper called in the best people he has and B is still… just…"

"And you trust this Cooper guy?" Burt asked, his hands on Kurt's shoulders. The question took Kurt off guard. He hadn't even thought about that. He had just trusted Cooper really did want to help.

"I…" Kurt's throat felt suddenly dry.

"It's okay, bud," Burt said quickly, as Kurt stared at him in alarm. "I'm sure he can be trusted, plus, I'm here now and they can fill me in on what they've been doing."

Kurt nodded, and they went to catch a cab back to B.

Kurt was quiet on the way to Anderson Corporation, and Burt didn't press for information. When they arrived, they were easily waved through to the back. Cooper had told everyone Kurt had free rein in the lab.

Part of Kurt was expecting – hoping, wishing – to come back and find B sitting up and talking and joking with the scientist, awake and safe. But back in the workroom, B was still lifeless, his condition no different. Kurt's heart dropped, and he had to fight back tears, because he'd already cried too much. Tears wouldn't help B.   
  
B had been out for over 15 hours and he needed all the help he could get.

Kurt tore his eyes away from the prone form of a too still B, mechanical eye socket not even blinking, and scanned the room looking for Cooper. Instead, Kurt was stunned by the sight of Dr. Lemaire breaking away from the other people working in the room and walking up to greet him.

"Monsieur Hummel" he said, extending his hand. "I'm sorry that I was away when you needed me."

As Kurt shook the doctor's hand, angry words flitted through his head.  _Where were you? Why would you tell us you would help and then disappear?_  He wanted someone to blame. If Dr. Lemaire had just been here…. But Kurt knew it wasn't really the doctor's fault, and he was here to assist now.

"And you must be Burt Hummel?" the doctor said, turning to Burt. "I'm Dr. Lemaire. I was one of the people who originally worked on the B line droids."

"Kurt has told me about you. Glad to see you're here," Burt said, shaking his hand.

"We are happy to have  _you_ here since you originally worked with the droid. Have you brought with you any information from when you first found him?"

"I have everything I could bring," Burt said, indicating his carry-on bag. Kurt bit his lip, realizing he hadn't even offered to let his dad go back to the apartment first. They had just come straight here.

"Have there been any changes with B?" Burt asked, and Kurt's heart started hammering, he only wanted to hear good news.

The doctor's face turned grave. "I'm afraid not."

Burt nodded, and Kurt sighed. Of course not. He looked around the room again. The engineers working on B all seemed to be at a standstill. Kurt cleared his throat. "Where's Cooper?"

"He went back to his apartment to check on his brother," Dr. Lemaire explained. "He doesn't like to be away from him too long."

Kurt nodded, feeling guilty about how little he'd been thinking of Blaine Anderson and the news that he might be waking up. He was consumed with worry over B.

Dr. Lemaire started introducing Burt to the team, and Kurt drifted away from the technical conversation to the table where B was laying. If it weren't for his unmoving chest and rigid posture, someone might think B was just sleeping. Kurt knew better. B always curled up like a cat when he slept, mostly around Kurt if he could. As he was, he looked too much like a body lying on a cold metal table in a morgue for Kurt's comfort.

He reached down and held B's hand. "B, you need to wake up now," he said, so softly the others in the room wouldn't hear unless they were specifically listening to him. "Because you still have things on your list to do, and when you're done with those, we are going to add more." Kurt swallowed down some tears, and rubbed a thumb over B's hand. "I'm waiting for you and I’m worried about you, and I know you don't like me to worry." Kurt smiled a little, waiting, but nothing happened. He leaned down and kissed B sweetly and softly, thinking of the fairy tales where the prince would kiss his love and they would magically awaken.

B stayed still. This wasn't a fairy tale.

"Kurt?"

He turned to see his dad motioning for him to come to the table where he and the team had Burt's scans and information spread out on a table, along with their own findings. Kurt squeezed B's heavy hand and walked over to see the table full of printouts and tablets with readings and specs and designs, many of which were labeled “ _B line: Property of Smythe Industries”_. In the back of his mind, he wondered how Sebastian Smythe would feel about Dr. Lemaire working on this and using these semantics, but he didn't have the energy to really care.

"You think you have answers in all this?" Kurt asked.

Burt sighed. "I hope so. In fact, I have an idea of what is going on here."

Kurt looked up at his dad expectantly.

"I don't want to share it until I'm more confident. We are going to be here a while." Burt looked closely at him. "And you look ready to fall over. I think you should go home and get some rest."

"I don't want to leave him," Kurt said quickly.

"I know, Kurt, but… We are going to be working and we'll have to open him up and take things apart and put them together again."

Kurt's could almost feel the blood draining from his face.

"Kurt, it’s okay. I'll make sure he is safe," Burt said, placing a comforting hand on Kurt's shoulder. "But you should go. I'll call if we figure anything out, and you can come back in the morning."

Kurt really didn't want to leave B, but he trusted his dad, and he was so  _very_ tired.

"Call if something happens, even if it seems small," Kurt said with a scratchy voice. "I want to know what's going on."

"I will, Kurt."

Kurt grabbed his keys from his pocket and gave his dad a key to his apartment. "You have to rest too. When you finish here for the day, you can crash in B's room."

Kurt gave his dad a hug goodbye and then wandered out of the building. Once on the busy sidewalk outside, Kurt felt lost. Where was he supposed to go? What was he supposed to do? Both Elliot and Rachel had been calling him. They knew about B shutting off, Kurt wasn't sure how. Maybe his dad called them? Kurt looked at his phone and saw he had a text from Sam and a missed call from Mercedes too. But he couldn't talk to anyone now. He didn't want to have to explain over and over about B's condition and how it didn't look good for him.

Kurt caught a train back to his neighborhood and walked listlessly to his apartment. As soon as he got there, though, he wanted to be anywhere else. This apartment had always been his and B's, it felt wrong to be there and know B was shut off and helpless at the Anderson's research center.

Kurt crumpled down on his couch and held his face in his hands, breathing deeply and feeling lost. Kurt wasn't sure how long he'd sat like that when his phone started to ring. He was going to send it straight to voicemail until he saw it was from Cooper Anderson. Cooper was the reason Blaine was getting all this help, so he owed him enough to answer his call.

"Hello," Kurt answered, and he hardly recognized his own voice - it sounded so far away.

"Kurt," Cooper said, and he sounded too chipper for Kurt's liking. "Listen, where are you? Have you had dinner yet?"

"I'm home, and…" Kurt thought. The last time he'd eaten was yesterday, when he'd had the fajitas he and B had made together. Kurt had to hold his breath to keep from crying at the memory. It already felt too long ago.

"I'll take your silence as a no, you haven't had dinner," Cooper said. "Come over."

"What?"

"Come to my place for dinner. I called the center and had a chance to talk to your dad. He said you were alone, and I thought, maybe you don't want to be. You know where I live. You can even come upstairs this time."

Kurt could hear the smile in Cooper's voice, and he wasn't sure he wanted to be around Cooper if he was in a good mood, not when Kurt's own frame of mind was so troubled.

"I don't know, Cooper… I think I  _do_ want to be alone."

"Listen, kiddo, I remember right after… When Blaine was hurt and I was…" He cleared his throat. "I just think being alone isn't a great idea for you right now."

"Thanks, Cooper, but-"

"Come to my place for dinner," Cooper insisted.

Kurt sighed. "Okay, fine. It will take a little while. I'll have to catch the train."

"No, no. Take a taxi. I'll leave the fare for it with the doorman. Dinner is already being prepared."

Kurt didn't really have any fight in him. He agreed and got a cab. It wasn't long until he found himself outside of Cooper's apartment building, with the doorman paying for his ride.

Kurt was told to take the elevator to floor 11, and that he was expected. What Kurt didn't expect was for Cooper's apartment to consist of the entire 11th floor.

Cooper greeted him as the elevator doors slid open. "Perfect timing," Cooper said with a wide grin as Kurt walked in. "Dinner just got here."

"Just got here?"

"I ordered pizza. There’s this little pizza place called Cigars and you  _have_ to try it."

"Cigars is B's favorite," Kurt said with a pang in his chest.

Cooper's face froze for a second, and then he smiled. "Of course it is." He shook his head and continued on. "First the nickel tour." Cooper motioned for Kurt to follow, and then walked him around the apartment.

Cooper was talking the whole time, but Kurt didn't take in much of it. He couldn't help but admire the apartment, though. It was a little opulent for Kurt's taste, but clean and smart and colorful. Cooper probably had a decorator. Kurt tuned into Cooper's voice again when they passed a room and the door opened. A middle-aged woman with a sweet smile and unattractive but sensible shoes came out.

"Emily, this is Kurt. Kurt, this is Emily," Cooper introduced them. "Emily is one of Blaine's nurses."

That remark hit Kurt like a ton of bricks, and suddenly, he remembered Cooper saying that Blaine lived with him. Kurt glanced past Emily's shoulder to the room she'd just come from. The door was partially open and inside Kurt could see a heart monitor and the edge of a bed. Kurt looked away quickly, feeling anxious. He couldn't explain to himself why he didn't want to see Blaine Anderson, but he knew he didn't.

"How is your brother?" Kurt asked Cooper, not meeting his eyes.

Cooper smiled so brightly it could have lit up a stage. "So good. Stronger vitals and more movement. Do you want to meet him?

"Is… Is he  _awake_?"

Cooper's face fell a little. "No, but he's getting better fast."

"It's amazing," Emily joined in. "Every day, he's stronger. I wouldn't have thought so when I first started working here, but I actually think he might wake up."

"He  _will_ wake up," Cooper said almost sternly, and Emily smiled pleasantly at him.

"You know I pray for that every day, Cooper," she said, and patted him on the cheek like a child.

Cooper didn't seem to mind. "So, do you want to?" Cooper nodded towards Blaine's room. "Meet him?"

"I really… I just…" Kurt's chest felt tight and breathing hurt a little. He couldn't, he just couldn't face Blaine Anderson right now. The thought actually scared him.

"No. That's okay," Cooper said quickly, taking in his expression. "You're always welcome if you want to, but no pressure. Let's go find that pizza."

They skipped the formal dining room in favor of the kitchen table. As soon as Kurt smelled the pizza, his stomach growled. He han't realized how hungry he was. Cooper chuckled and grabbed some plates, and they sat down to eat together.

"I had a long talk with your dad," Cooper said between bites. "He's smart. Really has a grasp on things. He seems like a good guy."

"He is. The best."

"I like that you get along with your dad so well. I mean, I love mine, but he is a difficult man… and even harder on Squirt than on me."

"Why do you call him that?"

"What, Squirt?" Cooper asked, smiling brightly. "You've seen B, and Blaine isn't any bigger. He’s just a little guy."

Kurt couldn't help but return Cooper’s smile, as it turned out Cooper's good mood was contagious.

"Dr. Lemaire from Smythe Industries is even there, helping," Kurt said. "I think we have a good team."

"Oh, yeah!" Cooper agreed. "I told Dr. Lemaire to head over in that direction."

"I thought he was out of town."

"He's been in Ohio, talking to my parents, actually.."

"I…" Kurt didn't know what to say about that, and Cooper smoothly changed the subject.

Throughout dinner there was a question that kept coming back to Kurt's mind that he felt like he had to ask. There wasn't an easy way to bring it up, so he just blurted it out when he couldn't keep it in any longer.

"Did Blaine and Sebastian ever date?" This was an easier topic than B’s failing condition even if Kurt was worried about the answer.

Cooper raised his eyebrows in surprise, and finished chewing his bite before answering. "Yes," he said, and Kurt's stomach dropped. "But only briefly in… 11th grade, I think? We've known the Smythe's our whole life, so Blaine and Seb grew up together. Best friends, and I think Seb always wanted something more…" Cooper shrugged. "When they broke up, it was Blaine's idea."

Kurt nodded. "Sebastian was so upset when he found out about B."

Cooper sighed. "He is trying to put all this behind him, but it’s hard. He was with Blaine that night, you know."

Kurt put down his slice, starting to feel somber again. "That night?"

"The night of Blaine's attack. They'd been with a group of friends, seeing a movie. Seb's car came to pick him up and Blaine wanted to take the subway. He’s never liked to live like a rich kid. So… Sebastian left him there. It wasn't Seb's fault… what happened to Blaine, but he's always blamed himself."

Kurt nodded again, suddenly feeling a swell of pity for Sebastian. It explained Sebastian's intense reactions somewhat, if he felt responsible for what happened to his friend.

"It's ironic, because Blaine would hate for Seb to feel guilty. Blaine is… He’s one of the best people I've ever met. Good and kind and loyal… and… and..." Cooper smiled. " _Goofy_ , and crazy talented, and he loves to sing and help people. He writes music and wanted to do that for a living, write music that inspires people…. He has a big future ahead of him." Cooper stopped, his face looking a little crestfallen. "I just need him to wake up."

Kurt couldn't respond at all. He should say something comforting, but his mind was a swirl of emotions and his heart was beating too hard in his chest. Cooper had just described B. Everything he said about Blaine was word for word how Kurt would describe B.

Cooper's phone started to ring, and they both started in surprise. Cooper pulled it out, glancing at the screen. "It's my mom. I have to take this, excuse me for a minute?"

Kurt nodded and Cooper got up. "Nanay!" he answered his phone, in a voice that could only be described as endearing.

Cooper walked out of the room to talk to his mother, and Kurt started to feel restless. He needed to get out of here. It was too hard to sit here and talk about Blaine, when he felt like he might have lost B. Kurt whimpered a little in fear at the thought and got up from the table. He walked out of the kitchen in the opposite direction from where Cooper had gone.

He'd just leave and apologize later. On his way out, he had to pass Blaine's room. He froze on the spot. The door was open again, and Kurt took a step forward, and then another and another. He poked his head in and didn't see Emily.

Cooper had said he was welcome to meet Blaine anytime…

Kurt took a deep breath and walked into the room. It was large and as nicely decorated as the rest of the apartment, but it lacked any personal touch. There was a large bed in the middle, with an assortment medical equipment around it. Kurt stepped closer, and his eyes landed on the immobile occupant of the room.

Kurt's breath caught. He blinked a few times as he took in the sight of the  _living and breathing Blaine Anderson_.

Blaine looked so much like B that it tugged painfully at Kurt's heart. It hurt to see someone that looked so much like the person he loved small and helpless. The more he studied Blaine, Kurt could see some differences between him and B. Blaine's face was much more gaunt and pale. His cheek bones were prominent, and his neck and wrists looked thin. Of course, he'd been in a coma for two years. He’d probably looked more like B back when he was healthy.

Blaine was hooked up to a ventilator, and a heart monitor beeped by his bedside.

Kurt took one more step forward, something about the motionless and broken man pulling him forward, and an overwhelming desire to protect and comfort Blaine washed over him. This man, this broken, gorgeous man… Did he have the heart and mind of the man Kurt loved?

Kurt heard a creak behind him, and turned quickly to see the nurse, Emily. "I… I'm sorry. I should have… Cooper said…"

"It's fine," she said sweetly. "He could use some more visitors. They've trailed off in the past couple of years."

Those words stung. It hurt to think of someone so like B being left alone like this. In fact, it was making Kurt feel a little dizzy with emotion. Blaine looking so small and weak, and B still shut off, it was all too much.

Kurt choked on a sob and turned to flee the room. "I… can't be here. Tell Cooper goodbye for me?" Kurt ran from the room before Emily could say anything else. He took the elevator down, holding back tears, and rode the subway home, barely holding himself together. He didn't even remember getting back to his apartment until he was standing in his bedroom, looking at a bed he'd last shared with B. He threw himself down on it and started to cry, clutching a pillow to his face.

Kurt must have fallen asleep, because he woke up as the bed dipped and his father sat on the edge next to him. Kurt blinked up at him for a moment before quickly sitting up. "Is B awake?"

Burt sighed, and Kurt knew what the answer was.

"No, son."

"Is he at the center all alone? I should go there. I don't want him to wake up scared." Kurt moved to get out of bed but Burt put a hand on his shoulder.

"No, Kurt."

Kurt looked at him, feeling like bad news was on its way, and Kurt wasn't sure he was ready to hear it.

"B will be fine for the night, and we are all going to start our research again tomorrow..."

Kurt sighed in relief, but still felt like there was something his dad wasn't saying.

"You get some rest, okay?" Burt squeezed Kurt's shoulder. "We'll talk in the morning."

Kurt said goodnight to his father and then sat still for a moment. He wanted to go to B, but sitting next to a broken droid all night sounded horrible and heartbreaking. He got up to change into pajamas, not even sure he would be able to sleep. Kurt laid back down in the dark, wishing B was there to wrap his arms around him. He did eventually drift off into a restless sleep, and he dreamt of B.

B smiling and happy. B singing. B kissing him. B looking at Kurt with an expression of pure love shining out of two perfect, beautiful eyes.


	21. Missing Pieces

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Geez louise, I took a long time to post this chapter. I am so sory for making you wait! This is the last chapter and then I have an epilogue to post (hopefully faster than I got this tor you). Thanks for reading, reviewing, favoriting and overall being delightful!
> 
> Enjoy

B blinked open his eyes and tried to focus his vision. His head ached, and his body felt weird, like it wasn't heavy enough and might float away at any moment. He groaned and turned his head slightly to try to make out where he was and to look for… to look for  _someone_. He knew he was looking for someone, but he wasn't sure who. As his vision cleared up, B saw that he was in a room he didn't recognize, in a place he'd never been before. That made him start to panic a little. He didn't know where he was, and it seemed like he was alone, with no one here to help him understand what was going on.

Something in his mind finally seemed to wake up enough that he remembered who he was looking for.

" _Kurt_?" he called out in a raspy voice. He coughed a little, his throat dry, and then his heart started beating fast with worry. Something was different. Something wasn't right. And where was Kurt? B closed his eyes again and let himself drift off back to sleep, where worry couldn't bother him.

* * *

After visiting his dad and B at the research center, Kurt got back to his apartment feeling strung out and bone-tired. He wanted to sleep, but his brain was spinning so fast he didn't think that would actually be possible. B had been out for another whole day, and Kurt was starting to feel desperate.

He paused outside of his door, keys in his hand, as he saw Rachel sitting outside of his apartment with a bag of take-out next to her on the floor. Kurt didn't know if he had the energy to deal with her right now. She stood when she saw him and smiled, but her eyes were sad.

"You aren't returning any of my calls, Kurt."

Kurt sighed and unlocked his door. "Rachel, a lot has been going on-"

"That's exactly why you should be talking to your best friend! How else can I help you?"

She followed him into the apartment and lifted the bag she was carrying. "I brought Chinese."

Kurt turned and smiled at her. She was just trying to be a good friend. "I'm not really hungry."

"Oh." Her smile faltered, but came back quickly. "Too bad, because you need food. Burt is worried you aren't eating."

"You've been talking to my dad?"

" _You aren't returning any of my calls, Kurt,_ " she said again with a frustrated puff of breath. Kurt thought she was about to stomp her foot at him, but she refrained.

"Fair enough." Kurt plopped down on the couch. "Did you get Sesame Chicken?"

"Of course I did, and Elliot should be here soon too. He's bringing wine."

Kurt chuckled tiredly. "What kind of wine goes with Chinese take-out?"

"The cheap kind, I think." Rachel smiled.

Kurt's days had been full of waiting and hoping and worrying. He couldn't sleep. He only ate when Burt made him. And he spent as much of the day as possible at Anderson Corporation, sitting next to B, holding his hand and talking to him, as if a shut-down android would be able to hear him.

Every hour that passed, Kurt's hopes of B waking up started to diminish, partly because B had been off for so long, and partly because, even though Burt tried to hide it, his expression grew more and more grave. It was making Kurt's heart hurt, and instead of sleeping well at night, Kurt was stuck trying to picture what life would be like without B. He couldn't even imagine. He didn't want to.

It all made Kurt feel sick, and it didn't make sense. B was in great condition, and the scientist hadn't said they'd found anything wrong with him. B just  _didn't work_. Kurt still felt like there was something they weren't telling him, and Kurt couldn't even get it out of his own father. That scared him. He had started wondering if maybe B was gone… No one could explain the miracle that B was to begin with, and now…

Kurt shook his head to rid himself of those thoughts, and tried to tune into what Rachel was saying.

Elliot showed up soon, and they opened the food and poured the wine. Both Rachel and Elliot were trying to lift his spirits, trying to keep him company, trying to distract him. And while they were very kind, it  _wasn't_ helping. They both acted like Kurt had lost a beloved…  _pet_ or something. Not like the love of his life was a cold lump of metal lying motionless in a lab.

Rachel and Elliot talked about their show and asked Kurt questions about school, but Kurt was only half-involved in the conversation as he pushed chicken around in its container. "B was worried about not being able to grow old with me," Kurt said unexpectedly. "He was thinking about our future in the long term."

"Oh, Kurt." Rachel put her hand over his as she scooted closer to him on the couch.

"And I didn't even get to say goodbye, one minute he was here and then…"

"Kurt," Rachel said cheerfully, almost as if she was peppy enough it would flow over to Kurt as well. "I'm sure B will be fine. I mean, he'll be repaired, right?"

Kurt looked back and forth at his friends, both looking worried and sporting imitation smiles. He couldn't take their false cheerfulness. In fact, the only person he could stand to be around while they were upbeat right now was Cooper Anderson. Cooper had dropped by the research center that day with the promise to return the next morning, and while Kurt could tell he was trying to hold it back, Cooper couldn't help but be joyful.

Blaine was getting better and better. Stronger each day. Kurt couldn't begrudge Cooper's joy over slowly getting his little brother back. Besides, every time Kurt heard a good report about Blaine Anderson's condition, he felt a little lighter, a little happier. He wasn't admitting it to anyone, but Blaine's condition had become extremely important to him. If the world was going to lose B… it would at least have Blaine. Kurt wanted to go visit Blaine again, but he hadn't yet worked up the nerve to. It felt too much like a betrayal to B.

Kurt noticed that both Rachel and Elliot had stopped talking. Rachel glanced at Elliot for help.

"Kurt, maybe we should go out tonight," Elliot said brightly. "Take-out and wine isn't that exciting. We could go to a club, and get you in a new frame of mind."

"No, that's okay," Kurt said, getting up from the couch. "I'm going to turn in early. I haven't been sleeping well."

Rachel put down her food "Are you sure?"

"I'm not great company right now." Kurt rubbed a hand down his face. "Thank you for dinner. I did need to eat, and now I just… I need sleep."

After a few more attempts to see if there was anything at all they could do for him, Kurt finally ushered a concerned Rachel and Elliot out of the apartment.

Kurt wandered aimlessly around his and B's home for a while before he found himself in B's bedroom. B had been sleeping in Kurt's room recently, but most of his things were still in here. Kurt opened a dresser drawer and smiled as he looked down at row after row of B's bowties. He laughed, but it sounded a little bit teary. He shut the drawer and went to sit on B's bed, sighing and running a hand through his hair. He opened the small drawer on B's nightstand and found a yellow legal pad. He reached for it with shaky hands, holding it in his lap as his eyes scanned over B's to-do list.

So many things had been crossed off. Kurt smiled, happy that B had already done so many of the things he wanted to do. Kurt flipped the page over to where the list overflowed to a second sheet. Kurt read the few things not crossed off yet

_Adopt a dog_

_Ride a ferris wheel_

_Visit Italy_  
  


The list had changed from little things like  _Taste ice cream_ , which only a very special droid would be that excited about, to things anyone might have on their bucket list. Kurt felt glad to see how much B had experienced, how much he had grown. His misty eyes drifted down to the latest thing written on the list, and he gasped in a soft exhale as he read it.  


_Finish writing Kurt's song_

Kurt' song?

Kurt's finger traced over the words in B's looping wide script. He didn't even know B was writing him a song, and now he might never hear it. Kurt closed his eyes. He had to stop thinking like that. He put the pad back in the drawer, ready for B when he got home. Because B  _would_ come home. Then Kurt slowly walked back to his own room, laid down in a bed he desperately wanted to share with B again, and tried to force himself to sleep.

The next morning, Kurt was slow to get up and leave for the day. He wanted to see B, but at the same time, he didn't want to find out he was still shut off. As long as Kurt wasted time at home, he could pretend that a miracle had happened and that B was awake and well and waiting for him at the research center. Eventually, Kurt couldn't put it off any longer. He ached to see B.

Kurt arrived at the research center tired and a little heartsick. He just wanted to go sit by B and hold his hand. Burt and the rest of the team were there already, but they didn't seem to be running any tests or working on anything.

When Burt saw Kurt, he grabbed a pile of papers off a desk and then put a gentle hand on Kurt's shoulder and led him out of the main workroom.

"Dad?" Kurt's voice wobbled. "What's wrong?"

"Kurt, I need you to hear me out here, alright?"

Kurt's stomach churned. He wasn't going to like whatever his dad said next. "Okay," he agreed anyway, because whatever this was, he needed to know.

"You know how I said I thought I might know what was going on with B, but I wanted to test my theory first?"

"Yes," Kurt answered anxiously, his stomach clenching. Burt was finally going to tell him what he'd been holding back.

"And you told me that Dr. Lemaire once tried erasing B's memory drive, but it didn't work?"

" _Yes_ ," Kurt repeated.

"Well, that's the thing." Burt rubbed a hand over his bald head before handing a printout over to Kurt. "This is the first reading I took on B when he woke up in our shop. I haven't really looked at it before, because a memory drive reading wasn't that important at the time."

"This is… from after you first got him?" Kurt asked, looking at the chart. It was completely blank.

"And this is from the day Dr. Lemaire tried to wipe his memory," Burt said, flipping the page. "And this is from today," he added, handing Kurt another sheet. None of them had anything on them. You could have gotten the same readings from a  _toaster_.

"These are all blank," Kurt said, not understanding any of this. These charts said B had no memories at all. He looked up at his dad, hoping he was about to explain, because this didn't make any sense.

"From what we can tell, Kurt, B has  _never_ used his memory drive. That's why Dr. Lemaire couldn't wipe it."

"But…" Kurt scrunched up his brows. "A droid can't do anything without using their drive. They wouldn't even remember their name or…. or how to walk. They would barely be able to talk… He'd be useless."

"Kurt…" Burt sighed deeply. "That's not all. Dr. Lemaire says the B line droids were never given personality settings. So that means someone had to add that to B after he was stolen by Cooper… but the settings aren't there."

"His… His personality has been erased?" Kurt asked, suddenly feeling unsteady on his feet. Erasing B's personality was like erasing  _him_.  


"No. No, Kurt." Burt put a hand on his shoulder and led him to sit down on a nearby stool. "B has no personality settings, and I don't have a reading from when I first found him, but it doesn't seem to us that he  _ever_ had any. I don't think anything has been erased. It just looks like it was never there at all."

Kurt's chest was starting to hurt, and he wrapped his arms around himself because he felt like he might actually fall apart. "I don't understand."

Burt smiled a little, like he was trying to comfort him, "B line droids were made to function with a human mind controlling them, Kurt." He gave Kurt a significant look, as if Kurt was supposed to divine some greater meaning from that statement.

"I…" Kurt swallowed. He was missing something that his dad thought was obvious. "You're saying that all this time that I've known B, he… he wasn't just a droid as much as he was… a machine being controlled by… by…" Kurt couldn't finish the sentence, trying to comprehend what this meant for B. For him. For both of them together.

"He was a machine being controlled by a real live human mind," Burt finished. "They could never get the B line droids to work, but our theory is that whoever removed his eyes somehow, accidentally sparked…  _something_. And then when I found him and turned him on, he connected to a human mind." Burt watched him closely. Kurt looked down at the readings and was quiet, not having a response for that piece of news. "Breathe, Kurt, this is actually good news."

Kurt looked up at his dad, realizing that he had been holding his breath. Suddenly, Kurt couldn't be still anymore. He had to see B. "I need to… I need…" Kurt jumped up from the stool and pushed the charts back into his father's hands. He didn't want them. They felt toxic to him. Kurt rushed past his father even as Burt called his name. He pushed open the doors to the workroom, where B was, and marched past the surprised scientists.

B was lying on that same long metal table in the bright white room. He was still off. So still, too lifeless for Kurt's liking. Kurt took his hand. "Wake up, B!" he yelled, his body trembling. "Wake up!"

"Kurt!" Burt called from behind his shoulder. "I… I don't think he is going to. I think this machine fulfilled its purpose and isn't needed anymore."

Kurt spun on his heels to look at his dad and the rest of the experts in the room, his eyes filling with tears. As he searched the faces, Kurt realized one was missing, "Where's Cooper? He said he'd be here this morning."

"He went home. The nurse called about his brother," Dr. Lemaire answered.

Kurt's eyes widened, his heart pumping blood through his body too fast, making him feel a little dizzy. " _Blaine_? Is he… Is he…" His voice squeaked to a halt, fear burning in his chest.

"Cooper didn't say what was going on. He just rushed out of here."

"Oh, god." Kurt let out a small whimper and covered his mouth. His father steadied him with a hand on his elbow. If B had been controlled by a human this whole time... And now they thought B wouldn't ever wake up again. And Blaine Anderson…  _Oh god, oh god.  
_  
Blaine  _had_ to be alright. Kurt needed to get to him. "I have to go," Kurt said, pulling away from his father and rushing towards the exit.

"Kurt, where are you going?" Burt asked anxiously.

"To… To find B!" Kurt called over his shoulder.

* * *

This time, when B blinked open his eyes and found himself in an unfamiliar room, he remembered more. He immediately knew he wanted Kurt, but again he was alone… B looked around the room trying to recognize anything. His eyes landed on a big wingback chair at the side of his bed. He wasn't alone after all. Sitting slumped over and asleep in the chair was Cooper Anderson.  _My brother_ , B thought, and he was too tired to work out why that was confusing.

His eyelids were heavy, but he made himself call out to Cooper. Cooper woke up slowly, but then sat up straight in his chair as his eyes met B's.,

" _Squirt_?" Cooper breathed out in a teary voice.

B smiled. He wanted to talk to his brother, but he didn't have enough energy so he just whispered "I'm okay" and let himself fall back asleep, hoping the next time he woke up, Kurt would be by his side.

* * *

Kurt stood outside Anderson Corporation and hailed a cab, his breathing tight, his heart having figured something out that his brain was slower to catch up with.

B was… Blaine. Blaine  _was_ B. And… And now something had happened to Blaine, which meant something had happened to B,  _his B_.

These past couple of days, Kurt had been sitting by B's side, holding his hand, brushing fingertips over his face, but it was Blaine he should have been sitting by. It was Blaine he should have been telling to wake up.

A taxi pulled up and Kurt hurried in, practically shouting Cooper's address.

 _Oh god,_ he hoped he was right about this, because if he wasn't, then it meant he may have lost B forever. He wasn't going to think that way. He wasn't going to let himself start imagining a life without B. He wouldn't, he  _couldn't._ It made him want to curl up in a ball and sob, and he didn't have time for that. Not now.

The taxi seemed to take a lifetime to finally arrive at Cooper's apartment building. The doorman recognized Kurt and smiled as he rushed by, but Kurt didn't have time for pleasantries. He tried to get on the elevator to go up to Cooper's apartment, but was stopped. "I'm sorry. We can't let you up without Mr. Anderson's permission," the porter explained.

"I... But…" Kurt's heart was thudding hard. "I have to see him!" Kurt was desperate.

"Alice." Kurt turned to see the doorman had left his post, following Kurt in. "Kurt Hummel has standing permission to go to Mr. Anderson's apartment.

The porter looked at Kurt and then smiled. "My apologies. I didn't realize who you were." She let him pass, and Kurt counted his breaths all the way up to the 11th floor, trying to calm himself down. When the doors opened, Kurt walked into Cooper's apartment, not sure what to do from here.

"Cooper?" Kurt called. He was shaking and felt like he might be sick. What if something bad had happened to Blaine? "Cooper!" he tried again, and started towards Blaine's room.

Cooper poked his head around the doorway. "Kurt!" he said in surprise, and walked all the way out of the room. "What are you doing here?"

"Is Blaine okay?" Kurt asked in a shaky voice. "They said you rushed home and…"

Cooper smiled. "He woke up! He…  _woke up._ "

Kurt's mouth fell open.

"Blaine has been slowly waking up the past couple of days, but today he is…" Cooper was so happy he couldn't even finish his thought, a wide smile on his face. "He didn't say much before falling asleep, but … Kurt… He…" Cooper wiped tears away from his eyes. "Do you want to come in?"

Kurt took a deep breath and nodded.

He followed Cooper in and then passed him as Cooper motioned to a chair by Blaine's bed. Kurt looked at him questioningly, but Cooper just nodded towards it. Emily was in the room, looking over Blaine's chart.

"Can we give them a minute?" Cooper asked.

Emily smiled. "I think that is an excellent idea."

They both left the room, and for a moment Kurt wanted to call for them to come back. He was a little scared to be left alone with Blaine. He watched them go without saying anything, knowing it was time to get answers, even if they might be answers that ended up breaking Kurt's heart. He turned to the chair by the bed and slowly sat down, eyes downcast, staring at his hands, tightly clasped together in his lap. Finally, he drew in a breath and made himself look up at the man in the bed next to him.

Blaine looked better than the last time he'd seen him. He was still small and fragile-looking, but his face had more color and his breathing seemed easier. And there was something more peaceful about him, the difference between sleeping and being in a coma, Kurt suspected.

Kurt cleared his throat, hoping it was okay to wake him. "Um. Hi," he whispered to the sleeping man, and then shook his head at how awkward he sounded. "I'm… I don't know if you know me or not." He scanned Blaine's face and then choked out a breathy, " _I hope you do_."

Blaine didn't move or wake or react in anyway.

Kurt looked down at Blaine's hand, a little boney and bruised from multiple IVs over the years. Kurt still reached for it, gently and sweetly holding it in his own. Blaine's skin was soft, and Kurt rubbed his thumb over the back of his hand, being careful of the IV needle.

"I know this guy… and you remind me of him. And I… I  _love_ him." Kurt glanced from Blaine's hand to his face. "I call him B, and I need him to wake up. I need..." Kurt paused, taking in a breath. "I need  _you_ to wake up and… and to be  _him_." Kurt lifted his free hand and smiled as he brushed some of Blaine's unruly curls off his forehead. "Someone needs to give you a haircut." His hand moved down Blaine's rough cheeks. "And a shave. B didn't…. He couldn't grow a beard."

Kurt waited. Nothing happened. He glanced up at the heart monitor, beeping steadily, and realized that the vitalator and several other machines were gone now. That was good.

"Okay, B," Kurt said in an even voice. "If you are in there, I need you to hear me. I'm sorry to wake you when you are resting, but I need you… Because…" Kurt swallowed, his eyes filling with tears. "Because I love you and I need you and I miss you." A couple of tears fell from Kurt's lashes. " _B? Are you there?_ "

A moment passed, and then another. Nothing happened, and Kurt didn't know if he should stay or if he should go because he was out of place here and Blaine needed his brother. Yet he wanted to stay. Kurt was about to get up and find Cooper when Blaine's eyes started to flutter. Kurt sat back down and held Blaine's hand a little more tightly. "B? Blaine?"

Blaine's eyes slowly opened, and he stared straight up at the ceiling for a moment, as his brow furrowed. Kurt sat, too stunned and nervous to speak.

Blaine slowly turned his head in Kurt's direction and then looked up at him. Two beautiful golden eyes met Kurt's, and Kurt's breath caught in his chest, because as lovely as B had always been with his one brown eye, the depth of Blaine's amber eyes seemed to pull the air right out of Kurt's lungs.

They were so  _right_ , so complete. This is what B must always have been meant to have. These beautiful eyes, full of emotion and shining up at Kurt, seemed like B's missing pieces.

Blaine just blinked at him slowly, long dark eyelashes fanning his face, and Kurt suddenly realized he should say something. He opened his mouth, but no words would come.

Blaine was studying his face curiously, and then his lips parted in a gentle smile. " _Kurt_ ," he breathed. And that one word made Kurt's heart melt.

"B?" Kurt leaned forward.

Blaine just continued to smile at him. "You're  _here_. I keep waking up and looking for you." His voice was rough, but so sweetly familiar.

Kurt stifled a sob. "You know me?"

Blaine chuckled softly, his voice scratchy with disuse. "I know you," he answered. "Of course I know you."

Kurt's heart was pounding and tears were running down his face. It seemed too good to be true. "I… I don't know if I know  _you,_ Blaine," he said softly, and Blaine's face scrunched up in confusion.

"You called me Blaine? Why did you do that?"

"That's who you are."

Blaine froze for a moment and then started looking around the room frantically. The beeping of his heart monitor sped up, and he tried to sit up, but then just fell back against the pillows.

"Don't do that!" Kurt said worriedly. "Don't hurt yourself." He hovered over Blaine, resting his palm gently against the side of his neck, stroking over his skin and looking down at him worriedly.

"I… I…." Blaine lifted up his hands and held them in front of his face to look at them, and Kurt sat back down. Blaine stared at his hands like he'd never seen them before. "I don't understand," Blaine said, dropping his hands, and then he grew very still, like he was listening to something. Kurt held his breath. Blaine closed his eyes as tears started to leak out of them. Then he opened them suddenly and grabbed Kurt's hand, pressing it against his chest. "What do you feel?" Blaine asked.

"Your heartbeat, Blaine," Kurt answered with a soft smile, feeling the steady rhythm of Blaine's pulse under his palm.

" _Kurt_ ," Blaine said, wiping his tears away with his free hand. " _Kurt._ Call me B. Please call me B. Please tell me you know who I am."

"I… don't know," Kurt said, his throat feeling tight. He licked his lips. "Tell me something B would know."

Blaine looked up at him with his mesmerizing golden eyes. "I… I want to ride a ferris wheel," he said. "That was one of the last things I told you before…" His gaze got a little cloudy before his eyes snapped back to Kurt, who was holding his breath. "I love ice cream. I… You have freckles in a line on your shoulder that I like to trace because they look like a constellation. On Fridays, we splurge and order pizza… I…" Blaine trailed off as Kurt started too openly sob.

Kurt felt light-headed, like the weight of the world had just fallen off his shoulders. He couldn't stop crying if he’d wanted to.

B reached up and cupped Kurt's cheek with a trembling hand. Through Kurt's tears and emotions, he was aware of how exhausted B had to be. B just smiled softly and led Kurt's face down towards his.

"I know I love you, Kurt Hummel," he said softly, and Kurt held back a sob as B kissed him. Kurt hiccuped with his tears, and then kissed B back - a soft press of lips, careful not to hurt him, but hungrily too, like Kurt had been starving for him. When they broke apart, B was smiling at him and breathing hard, and Kurt's heart skipped a beat.

"Who are you then?" Kurt asked, his hand cupping B's face and trailing his thumb down his cheek. "Are you Blaine or are you B?"

"I think they're the same thing," B answered.

Kurt laughed, tired and broken, but so full of joy. He leaned their foreheads together. "I thought I'd lost you," he whispered, and B's perfect golden eyes filled with tears again.

"You believe I'm…  _me_?"

In answer, Kurt pulled back from B with a smile and started to walk around to the other side of the big bed. B watched him worriedly, but Kurt just crawled up on the free side of the bed and lay on his side next to the man he loved, resting an arm across B's chest and scooting in close. "I saw the last thing you wrote on your list," Kurt sighed.

B looked thoughtful for a moment, and then his pale cheeks blushed. "I've been working on a song for you."

Kurt smiled so brightly his cheeks hurt. "I believe you're you, B." He could feel his throat clogging up again, but this time with happy tears. "And I love you… I love you so much, and I… Just don't… Please don't ever leave me like that again. "

B nodded and kissed Kurt lightly. "I'm not going anywhere," he breathed, and then yawned. Kurt knew B's recovering body must be overworked, so he told him to close his eyes and rest. B did so as Kurt rubbed gentle fingers over his temples. It didn't take long for B to fall back asleep. Kurt just curled up next to him, heart full and mind swirling. This was almost too much to take in.

Cooper poked his head in some time later, but Kurt didn't want to move from where he was lying next to B and watching him breathe.

"Oh, thank god," Cooper sighed.

Kurt glanced at Cooper with a smile.

"It's him, isn't it? Blaine is your B?"

"Yes," Kurt said softly, snuggling in closer and loving the surprising heat coming off B. It was so different from before, when he'd been cool and hard. "It's him. He's B and he's Blaine... How long have you known?"

Cooper walked further into the room, keeping his voice low. "I've suspected since I met B, and then when your dad got in town, we talked, and he thought so too."

"You didn't say anything," Kurt whispered, his hand on B's chest, mindlessly playing with a button of his pajamas.

Cooper sighed and came to sit in the chair beside his brother's bed. "We didn't know for sure. We couldn't say anything and make you think…. and then be  _wrong_. I've been trying to get you over here to see Blaine regularly, though."

Kurt leaned up on an elbow to talk to Cooper, hand still on B's rising and falling chest, needing the constant contact. "You did want me to meet your brother." He looked down at B with a smile, but it wavered a little. "I'm worried about him… Adjusting to being Blaine, but still having months of memories of being B… What is he going to with all these new memories? And he has a family and… Everything is different now."

"He'll have you, right?" Cooper asked with a lift of his eyebrows.

" _Always_."

"He'll be fine, then," Cooper shrugged. "More than fine." He got up from the chair. "Your dad's been calling. Is it okay if I fill him in?"

"Oh my god!" Kurt sat up and then quickly glanced back to B to make sure he hadn't woken him up. "My dad must be worried."

"He knew you'd come here."

"I should talk to him." Kurt glanced at B again, worrying his lip between his teeth. He didn't want to leave him, realizing how weak he must still be if this whole conversation hadn't woken him up.

"I'll call Burt, have him come over," Cooper offered. "You can stay where you are."

"Thank you," Kurt breathed, and Cooper just smiled and left the room. Kurt lay back down. He really did need to talk to his dad and Rachel and so many people. He rested his head on B's chest, and giggled at the new sensation of hearing B's heartbeat. Kurt had so much he wanted to say to B, so much they needed to talk about. He knew B was the same person he'd fallen in love with, but he had this whole other life and set of memories, and he was _human_. Everything was different now, and there were things that needed to be worked out.

For now though, Kurt didn't care. He was lying next to the man he loved and thought he had lost, and B was real and warm and soft next to him. It could wait. With B in his arms, all Kurt's other worries could wait… for just a little while longer.


	22. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: First off I am so so sorry about the long wait for this epilogue. I promise I did not fall off the face of the earth, I just got swallowed by real life for a bit. Here it is finally! Though, I am kinda of sad to post it because it means this story is over, but the time has come. I am working on a couple of other things right now so keep tuned for those.
> 
> Also, I wanted to thank H T Elia for doing some beautiful cover art for this story. Seriously, how freakin' talented is she? 
> 
> Anyway, off we go!

 

 

 

 

* * *

Blaine stood outside of Kurt's apartment, grasping a bouquet of red roses in one hand and holding his other hand up to knock on Kurt's door. He didn't knock, though, not yet. His heart was in his throat and his palms were sweaty. He didn't know why he was so nervous; this had been  _his_  apartment too at one time. Plus, Kurt had been nothing but wonderful since he woke up from his coma. Kurt had even asked him to move back in.  
  
So why was he internally freaking out?  
  
He let his hand fall and took a long breath through his nose. He should have told Kurt as soon as Kurt brought it up that he wanted to move back in with him. He should never have let the discussion sit unanswered. It was just that  _so much_  had happened at once.  


One moment, he was B, an android in love with his owner and lucky enough to miraculously have that love returned. And the next moment, he was Blaine Anderson waking up from a coma and remembering a whole life he had forgotten, and afraid that with everything he'd gained, he might have lost the one thing he wanted most:  _Kurt_.  


But Kurt had asked him weeks ago when he was moving back in. Kurt had made it a point to be there for him during his recovery. Kurt had never done anything to let him down, so why had he been so reluctant to tell Kurt he wanted to move back? To say,  _Yes, Kurt, yes. Wherever you are, that's where I want to be too_.  


Blaine closed his eyes, rubbing the bridge of his nose and thinking back over the last few months. Kurt had been there for him every step of the way, as his cheerleader, his confidant, and his support. Kurt  _loved_  him.  
  
Didn't he? Kurt had loved B, but now...  
  
Blaine had only ever stalled the conversation about moving back in because… because… even though he loved Kurt more than words could say, he was scared.  
  
Blaine had never been good at romance, and Kurt deserved the very best, and what if the person Kurt wanted wasn't  _here_ anymore? He felt like the same person. He remembered every moment with Kurt as B, and he wanted many  _many_  more moments. For Blaine, there wasn't really a difference between him now and him as B. Sure, he remembered more about his life now, but he was the same person. He just hoped Kurt saw it that way.  
  
Blaine had spent the last few weeks back at home in Ohio with his parents, and during that time away from Kurt, worry started to build up - the worry that maybe he wasn't good enough for Kurt, the worry that Kurt wouldn't be able to love who he was now - until the feeling just festered inside of him and grew into fear.  
  
He spoke to Kurt everyday on the phone, but it wasn't the same as seeing his expression as they talked, or holding his soft warm hand, or kissing his even softer lips. Everything about Kurt was brighter and more real now that he was human. He could feel him better, like his senses were heightened, and it was almost overwhelming. Blaine had missed him while he was away.  


Blaine just wanted things to go back to the way they had been. Well, not exactly the way they had been. Blaine was so happy to be himself again, to be Blaine Anderson. He'd missed his life and his family, and as a human, he had so much more to offer Kurt than he did as a droid.  
  
He just needed to talk about all of this with Kurt. Stop second-guessing, stop trying to figure out what Kurt was thinking. Just  _talk_ to him. It was going to be okay. He lifted his hand again, gripping the dozen red roses, and knocked.

 

Once B woke up from his coma, everything had changed quickly for Kurt. Mr. and Mrs. Anderson flew in, and Kurt was nervous to meet them. They were his boyfriend's parents, when just days ago he didn't even know his boyfriend had parents. He ended up being nervous for nothing, though. They were mostly preoccupied with seeing their son, and the few times they did speak to Kurt, Mrs. Anderson called him "the boy who has been taking care of our Blaine". Both of B's parents were gracious towards him, but distracted by visiting the son they had all but given up hope on.  
  
A lot of Blaine's old friends came to see him as well. Even Sebastian Smythe came by one afternoon. Kurt had been sitting by B's bed and holding his hand when Sebastian came in. Making eye contact with B and shuffling his feet, Sebastian asked for some time alone with Blaine. Kurt had clenched his jaw and looked down at B, who just smiled and nodded.  
  
"He's my friend, Kurt," he explained, so of course Kurt had left the room to give Sebastian his reunion.  
  
He sat in the living room with Cooper, who was turning out to be one of Kurt's favorite people, and waited. He couldn't help but wonder what the two of them were talking about. He tried not to be jealous when Sebastian didn't leave for hours or when Kurt went back to B's room to find them both smiling and a little teary-eyed. Or when Sebastian hugged B goodbye tightly, taking too long for Kurt's liking.  
  
When Sebastian was gone, Kurt sat back down next to B, watching his face closely. "You missed him."  
  
B smiled up at Kurt, wiping at his eyes. "Sebastian has been blaming himself for what happened to me for two years. It was good to show him I'm going to be fine, and to tell him it wasn't his fault."  
  
Kurt nodded.  
  
"And… Yeah, I really did miss him."  
  
Kurt's breathing hitched, and he looked down at their clasped hands.  
  
"I don't love him," B said, and Kurt glanced up to meet his eyes. "I mean … not in the way you're worried about. Probably more like how you love Rachel or Sam."  
  
A soft smile covered Kurt's face as he blushed, feeling silly over his jealousy. "Oh."  
  
"You  _had_ to have known that."  
  
Kurt shrugged. "I love you, but… I'm still getting to know you as Blaine, and I don't know what things were like between you and Sebastian before we met."  
  
"Things between Seb and I weren't romantic, hadn't been for years. I don't think of him like that," B assured him, tugging on Kurt's hand so he would come closer. "Come here."  
  
Kurt leaned down, and B kissed him softly, carding his hand through Kurt's hair. Kurt's whole body relaxed. B was right; he knew he had nothing to worry about.  
  
Kurt had to remember that while B had been out for a few terrifying days for Kurt,  _Blaine_ had been in a coma for over two years, and people had missed him, and mourned him and now finally had him back again. Kurt needed to give these people, Blaine's family and friends, room and time to see Blaine and celebrate with him. He had to give B time to reacquaint himself with his old life.  
  
Burt came by Cooper's apartment every day before he had to get back home to his shop and Carole. B was always excited to see him, and Cooper treated him like some kind of hero. Kurt loved seeing his dad get along so well with the Andersons, since this family was suddenly so important to Kurt.  
  
When Burt hugged Kurt goodbye at the airport a week after Blaine woke up, Kurt couldn't help but hold him a little more tightly than necessary.  
  
"What's wrong, bud?"  
  
"Just… Thank you. For coming, for helping."  
  
"I didn't really do anything."  
  
Kurt shook his head in disagreement. "I couldn't have gone through all of that alone."  
  
Burt frowned. "I can stay a little longer if you need me to."  
  
"No," Kurt laughed. "Go home to Carole. I… I have B."  
  
Robert and Pamela Anderson stayed in New York for over a month to be with their son, and between them and many friends from B's old high school and from NYU, Cooper's apartment was often crowded. Kurt felt out of place and in the way, but every time he started thinking maybe he should go and leave B alone for a little while, B would look around for him, hold out his hand and wait for Kurt to come back over and take it. He always breathed in relief when Kurt did. Kurt wasn't sure what B was so afraid of, but he was more than happy to stay by his side as much as possible.  
  
Kurt met so many of B's friends and family those first few weeks that it'd been a little overwhelming, even if it was wonderful to see how well loved B was. At the end of a particularly long day of visitors, Cooper was shuffling everyone out of the apartment, saying that only family could stay. Someone, Kurt had forgotten his name, a friend from Blaine's NYC days, asked if Kurt wanted to share a cab, since they were being asked to leave. Kurt froze, looking back at B, who was already nodding off in bed.  
  
"Actually, Kurt is family," Cooper said, putting both of his hands on Kurt's shoulders and then leading him back to sit next to B.  
  
"I don't want to be any trouble," Kurt whispered as he watched everyone else leave.  
  
"Trust me, there will be more trouble if Blaine wakes up and finds you aren't here."  
  
Kurt smiled, and instead of sitting next to B, he crawled up next to him in bed, ready to be there when he woke up.  
  
Kurt had gotten permission from NYADA to take a short leave of absence, and he spent that time practically living in Cooper's apartment, letting B have space to be with his family and friends, but always nearby if he was needed. When it was time to go back to school, he thought about postponing until next year. How was he going to focus at school when B was recovering from a two-year-long coma?  
  
"I was thinking," Kurt said, tracing patterns on B's hand one afternoon. "Maybe I should hold off going back to NYADA."  
  
"What?"  
  
Kurt looked up at B's surprised face; he was sitting up in bed and looking so much better than he had when he first woke up, his eyes bright and his face fuller.  
  
"I mean… You're recovering, and I want to go to all of your physical therapy sessions, and-"  
  
B looked upset, shaking his head vehemently. "No, Kurt. You are about to graduate. I hate that you've had to take any time off because of me at all."  
  
"I don't mind."  
  
"I do," B insisted. "Go back to school. Finish the year.  _Please_."  
  
Kurt had agreed, but still made as much time for B between school and work as he could. He met up with him for most of his physical therapy sessions, even if it was hard to watch B struggle and feel pain just to get his basic functions back. Kurt brought him dinner from some of his favorite places since he wasn't really up and about very much, but still needed to gain some healthy weight. He even slept over sometimes, curled next to B and waking every few hours to make sure B was still there and safe and well. Those interrupted nights next to B still provided a better night’s sleep than the times Kurt went back to his apartment alone and had to sleep in their bed without B at all.  
  
The day that B's physical therapist told him he could start walking short distances without his walker had been a huge celebration. Kurt had flung his arms around him and pressed their lips together, and B wrapped his arms around Kurt's waist, holding him tight. It was their most heated kiss since B had woken up and Kurt was breathing hard and left wanting more when they pulled apart.  
  
They saw each other all the time and were always trading little glances, and touches and kisses, but it hadn't gotten back to where they'd been before. Kurt often wanted to press B down on his bed and explore every inch of this newly discovered human body with his lips; the trouble was that Kurt was scared of hurting him. B was getting stronger all the time, and was starting to look more and more like the B Kurt knew, but he was still weak and human and recovering now.  
  
B flopped down on the couch in Cooper's living room next to Kurt after a long day of exercise and training with his physical therapist.  
  
"This is exhausting. My legs haven't been used properly in two years and they won't behave how I want them to. I used to  _run,_ you know, and they were strong and sure. Now…  _God, I'm tired all the time_. It shouldn't be this hard."  
  
Kurt watched B winch as he stretched his arms over his head, he grabbed a sofa pillow and put it in his lap, motioning for B to rest his head there. B smiled at him and lay down while Kurt started rubbing soft circles over his temple. B's eyes fluttered closed and he sighed in contentment.  
  
"You may be tired, but you're doing so well, B. Getting better and stronger."  
  
"It's frustrating." B opened his eyes and looked up at Kurt. "As a droid, I could walk fine and I felt strong and didn't get tired as easily, this… This feels like a step backward. It feels like a lot of steps backwards."  
  
Kurt's stomach clenched. This was the first time he'd heard B say something about missing being a droid, and it made Kurt ache a little. Maybe he was being selfish, but as much as he'd wholeheartedly loved B as a droid, he was so grateful he was human now. Someone to grow old with and who had this whole full, rich life.  
  
Kurt frowned and brushed his fingertips over B's forehead. "I know it must feel that way," he said sympathetically, "but you wouldn't want to go back to being a droid, even if you could, would you?"  
  
"It wouldn't even be possible." B yawned. "No one can figure out how I connected with the B line droid in the first place. It shouldn't have worked really. And… I guess it  _is_  nice to be me again." He smiled up at Kurt, and Kurt's heart fluttered like it had wings.  
  
"You were always  _you_." Kurt leaned over to plant a kiss on his forehead. "You were always the man I love, even before I knew I loved you."  
  
B lifted his hand and rubbed his thumb across Kurt's lips before letting his hand fall and closing his eyes again. As Kurt continued to rub his head, he watched B rest and his heart hitched a little. He loved him so much.  
  
"When are you moving back into our apartment?" Kurt asked suddenly, and arched a brow when B's eyes shot open to look at him. "I miss you. I know we see each other every day, but…" Kurt stopped talking, looking at the stunned expression on B's face. "I mean… That is, if you  _want_ to move back. I still think of it as  _our_ apartment, and we get it for a whole extra year, since Tracy has decided to stay in Florida longer… but I don't know if you’re planning on staying with Cooper or… or getting a dorm room when you go back to NYC in the fall. I just thought- I thought…"  
  
B's lips turned up in a smile at Kurt's rambling. He sat and faced him, honeyed eyes sparkling. "I just recently started walking on my own again, Kurt."  
  
Kurt nodded and swallowed, feeling nervous. He had assumed too much.  
  
"And I need to go home and visit my parents in Ohio, even though they were just here and … when I come back…" B looked away for a moment, and Kurt couldn't read his expression, but his jaw was tight and he almost seemed nervous. "Can we talk about it then?"  
  
Kurt smiled, even though his heart was pounding too hard. He knew B had this whole other life now, and it was a good thing, but he'd always pictured B coming back home to their shared apartment. Every night he was there alone, he'd think about when B would be coming back. He hadn't even considered that B might have other ideas.  
  
"Of course. We'll talk about it then," Kurt said, watching B lean against the back of the couch; Kurt rested his head on his shoulder and linked their fingers together. Maybe things weren't going at the speed Kurt thought they would, but B was well worth the wait.  
  
When Blaine left for Ohio, Kurt dove into schoolwork in a way he'd hadn't been doing in the past few weeks. It wasn't as though Kurt had no life outside of B, it was just after being so concerned about him for so long, it was hard for Kurt to lose the little control he had and have B go off and stay with his parents.  
  
B called every day, and he sounded happy and well, and that gave Kurt some relief, but as his return to New York drew near, Kurt found he was anxious. What if B came back and said he wasn't ready to live with Kurt again? What if he wanted his independence? B really only started living with him in the first place as Kurt's droid, and he might want more freedom and space now. Or maybe he'd think they were moving their relationship too fast. Kurt was suddenly struck by what B had said about walking; this seemed like a step backwards for them as a couple, and Kurt hated that.  
  
If he wasn't careful, Kurt would wear himself out thinking of all the reasons why B wouldn't want to come back to their apartment. Maybe he'd gone the wrong way about asking him? Instead of assuming B's return, he could woo him a little bit. B deserved some romance.  
  
He was putting away some groceries the evening before B was coming back to New York, and thinking about how he should ask B to move in with him. Kurt could make it romantic, show him that it was because he wanted to live with his boyfriend. Make B feel special.  
  
Kurt was pulled from his thoughts by a knock at the door. He wasn't expecting anyone, but it could be Rachel making one of her surprise "check on Kurt to make sure he's okay" visits. When he opened the door, he stood frozen on the spot, finding B standing on the other side, a wide smile on his face and a bouquet of red roses in his hands.  
  
"B!"  
  
"Hi." B smiled at him almost shyly.  
  
"How… How are you here?"  
  
"I came in a day early," Blaine shrugged, and his grin grew as he bounced on his feet a little. "I  _missed_  you."  
  
Kurt glanced at the beautiful flowers and then back at B before wrapping him up in a tight hug, kissing his neck. "I missed  _you_." He didn't want to let B go, but the bouquet was sticking him in the back the way B was hugging him, so he made himself end the hug, taking the flowers and grinning widely. He went to the kitchen to put them in a vase as B wheeled in his suitcase.  
  
"Did you just come from the airport?"  
  
B nodded. "I couldn't wait to see you. I wanted to ask you…" He swallowed rather nervously.  
  
"You wanted to ask what?" Kurt said, arranging the flowers, body more relaxed than it had been since B left for Ohio. It felt so right to have him here.  
  
"I... Um. I need to talk to you."  
  
Kurt bit his lip, but tried not to look nervous. Why did the phrase  _I need to talk to you_  always sound like bad news? "Okay," Kurt nodded. He lifted the vase of roses and walked into the living room, B following him. He set the flowers down on the coffee table and waited for B to join him on the couch.  
  
B sat, and Kurt realized he semed to be getting around well without his walker. B leaned forward, his elbows on his knees and his hands clasped. He was quiet for a long moment, before letting out a heavy breath. Kurt couldn't help but hold his. He crossed his arms in front of him, hanging onto his elbows, the way he knew he did as a defense mechanism, ready for the bad news it seemed B was about to drop into his lap.  
  
"So… Where do we go from here?" B finally asked, looking from his hands to Kurt.  
  
Kurt shook his head, confused. "I don't understand."  
  
"I mean… You were dating B before and I've been assuming that you still want…" He cleared his throat. "I mean, if you are just hanging around to help with my recovery, I would understand. This must be weird for you. Different. Because... I'm not the same… I'm not..." B stumbled to a halt, his explanation falling short.  
  
Kurt's mouth dropped open, and his stomach churned as realization of what B was trying to say hit him. Did B really think Kurt was just humoring him? That he didn't want him anymore because he was  _human_? That he saw B as someone different now?  
  
"B, do you really not understand how I feel about you?" Kurt asked passionately as he reached for B's hands with a lump in his throat. B's golden eyes bore into him, and Kurt met his gaze. "I  _love_ you."  
  
"You loved B…"  
  
"You  _are_ B!" Kurt said incredulously, not believing his ears.  
  
"Yes. I know I am… But... I'm Blaine too, and you always call me B, and I want to be that guy you fell for, but there… There is more to me now, and-"  
  
Kurt couldn't listen to this anymore. How could B be confused about this? He surged forward, taking B by the shoulders and kissing him until B slumped in his arms, resting his palms on Kurt's waist and kissing him back. When Kurt pulled away, B's cheeks were flushed and his eyes dark, glancing back and forth from Kurt's eyes to his lips.  
  
"I love you," Kurt insisted. "I love you as B. I love you as Blaine. I love you as both. I just love you. All of you. And… I didn't know calling you B bothered you. It's just what I'm used to, but I  _know_  you're Blaine. I'll call you whatever you want." Kurt felt a little breathless, hoping he was saying this right.  
  
Blaine smiled and looked down at his lap before glancing back up at Kurt through his dark eyelashes. "I love that you call me B. It's special that you have a name for me that other people don't use." He leaned forward and bumped his forehead against Kurt's. "I just don't want you to feel like you have to stay with me because I'm recovering or because we were together before."  
  
"Don't be ridiculous, B," Kurt said seriously, hands on B's shoulders, making their way to cup the back of his neck. "I'm with you because I  _love_  you. I…" Kurt huffed out a frustrated breath. "I don't know how to be any clearer about this."  
  
B smiled, and it slowly grew until his whole face was lit up. "I love you too, Kurt. So much. And... We're still boyfriends?"  
  
Kurt rolled his eyes playfully. "Obviously."  
  
B chuckled, leaning back to wipe at his eyes a little, and then stood up on shaky legs, holding his hand out for Kurt. Kurt looked at it curiously before taking it and following him out of the room.  
  
"I want to show you something," B said, and led him to his old room, where he had a keyboard set up against the wall from when he used to take music classes at the learning annex. B sat down on the piano bench and patted for Kurt to join him. Kurt slid in, leg pressed up to B’s, knee to hip.  
  
B's hands were trembling a little as he set his fingers on the keys, but his smile was sure. "I call this  _Kurt's Song_ ," B whispered, and started playing.  
  
Kurt could hardly breathe. The melody was rich and soulful, and as B continued to play, it swelled with emotion, bringing tears to Kurt's eyes, before turning to something lighter, happy and free and full of joy. The notes of the song danced through the room, and Kurt watched B play, eyes closed and a smile on his lips as he put all of himself into the melody. Kurt was in awe.  
  
When he was done playing, B rested his fingers on the keys as he let out a deep breath, the room still echoing with the feeling of the song. He turned to Kurt, not quite meeting his eyes.  
  
"B…" Kurt sat in amazement, trying to find the right words. He wiped his teary eyes. "That was beautiful. It was so… I can't even-"  
  
"That's how I feel about you," B said softly, glancing up to meet Kurt's eyes. "I started writing it as B, and I finished it as Blaine, because every version of me loves you, Kurt."  
  
Kurt could only let out a joyful laugh and throw his arms around B, kissing him.  
  
B put his hands on either side of Kurt's face and kissed him back, murmuring as he did. " _I love you, Kurt_." They pulled apart, and Kurt couldn't help but keep smiling.  
  
"I love you too."  
  
"I want to move back in. If you still want me to?"  
  
Kurt looked him in the eyes. "Yes," he nodded immediately, his eyes round. "Please."  
  
B sighed and relaxed his shoulders. "Then I'd really like to come back home."  
  
Kurt just grabbed both of B's hands and tugged him off of the bench and back to their bedroom. One they got there, Kurt did what he'd wanted to do since Blaine woke up. He kissed B down onto the bed, forgetting all of his romantic plans of trying to convince B to move back in with him in favor of showing B what a good decision he'd made.  
  
Kurt pressed his lips softly against B's and then trailed down his neck, slipping his hands under his shirt as B shivered and let Kurt undress him slowly. Kurt kissed each new inch of bare skin as he revealed it, loving all the tiny shivers and moans that were new since the last time they’d done anything like this. It must feel different to B now. This was the first time they'd gone this far with B as a human. Kurt had never had his warm human skin under his fingers, goosebumps where Kurt kissed him and fine hair on his stomach as Kurt lavished love on every part of him. It made everything that more intense.  
  
B only made him stop so that Kurt could take off his own clothes. "I... I want to see you," B panted, and soon Kurt was lying on top of him on the bed, naked skin against naked skin, breath mixing together as they moved and explored one another.  
  
Kurt was sure to keep things slow and soft and sweet. B was still recovering, and Kurt wouldn't do anything to hurt him. It was B who wanted to go fast. He was whining and needy. Sex had always been amazing between them before, but now he felt even closer to B, like the two of them were just one person moving together and loving each other.  
  
"I love you, Blaine," Kurt breathed as he started to place open-mouthed kisses to B's neck.  
  
B gasped and bucked on the bed, needing more of Kurt. "I- I love you."  
  
They didn't last as long as Kurt would have wanted, with both of them so desperately needing the other, but Kurt still thought it was perfect. Coming with the man he loved wrapped in his arms, his own name on B's lips. When they both came down, Kurt grabbed his discarded undershirt to clean them off and pulled the covers up over their bodies as B started to shiver, a fine layer of sweat over his skin. This was another pleasant new development of being with a human B.  
  
B nestled his heavy head on Kurt's chest and clung to him as Kurt smiled up at the ceiling, wanting to kick his feet out in excitement, but instead, he let his loose, content body sink into the mattress with B's warm body over him. Kurt placed a soft kiss to B's head and B murmured something unintelligible, and they both fell asleep.  
  
Kurt woke up the next morning with B wrapped around him, arms holding Kurt, legs tangled together and B's face tucked into Kurt's neck. Kurt was lazily scratching B's back, curling his fingers in the hair at the nape of his neck and breathing in the scent of his sleeping boyfriend.  
  
His stomach growled, and he realized they hadn't even eaten last night. Kurt was getting warm with B's weight on top of him, but he wasn't going to move yet. Even as he started to sweat a little with B radiating heat, Kurt just smiled. It was one of the many things that had changed about B. He was always so warm now, Kurt's personal space heater.  
  
Kurt knew as they went into the hot summer months, there would be nights where he would have to roll B off of him to have any chance at sleep, but for now, he was happy having B so close, feeling his breath ghost over his skin and his heartbeat a steady rhythm against his chest.  
  
B eventually woke up with a lazy yawn, and looked up at Kurt with bright hazel eyes. "Good morning."  
  
"Good morning."  
  
B scooted up and kissed him, instantly awake and alert. "What were you thinking about just now?"  
  
"Just that I had the whole afternoon planned for us today. We were going to go to Coney Island and ride a ferris wheel."  
  
B's eyebrows shot up in excitement. "But not anymore? I would love to!"  
  
Kurt could help but laugh at B's excitement. "No, we can still go if you want. I was just wondering…"  
  
"Anything, Kurt," B said, leaning down, brushing his fingertips down Kurt's cheek before kissing his neck, making Kurt giggle and then moan. "Anything you want."  
  
"Mmmm…" Kurt sat up in bed, and B followed suit. "We need to scratch 'Finish writing Kurt's song' off of your list."  
  
B smiled brightly. "And move all my things into this room. I mean, my old room can just be an office or guest room now, don't you think?"  
  
"Yes, and we should get your stuff from Cooper’s," Kurt nodded.  
  
"But what were you wondering?" Blaine asked with a smile. "Did you want to ask me something?"  
  
Kurt brushed some curls from B's face. "I was hoping you'd play me my song again?"  
  
B laughed his face joyful and his eyes squinting, "We can do that first." He leaned forward, pressing a soft kiss to Kurt's lips. "As many times as you want," he said softly. Kurt just held on to him, both of them leaning against the headboard, not a stitch of clothing between them as the sun came through the window, warming them. Sitting here with the man he loved in his arms, Kurt realized things were only going to get better from here.


End file.
